Springfield hospitals nearing capacity due to COVID-19 surge

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Hospitals in Missouri’s third-largest city are approaching capacity due to a continuing surge of coronavirus cases.

The Springfield News-Leader reports that officials at Springfield’s two major hospital systems, CoxHealth and Mercy, told the Springfield City Council this week that they are running out of staff and capacity.

Cox Medical Center South was housing a record 82 patients Monday, including around 35 in the hospital’s special unit for COVID-19.

Hospitals are also struggling with staffing shortages, in part because workers are in quarantine.

CoxHealth CEO Steve Edwards says his hospital has seen more deaths in the past month than the rest of the year combined.