LOS ANGELES – At a hospital near South Los Angeles, doctors debate whether an elderly patient should be hooked to one of the few remaining ventilators.
Meanwhile, nurses at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood fear they are treating too many patients to provide them all with the best
"It's a war zone," said a doctor at one L.A. County public hospital, as the COVID-19 surge brings levels of death once unimaginable in the U.S., despite tireless efforts to treat patients.
Mortuaries in Southern California overwhelmed by COVID-19
• 7 min read
Hospitals, morgues and funeral homes overflowing in Los Angeles
In Los Angeles County, California, one person is dying of COVID-19 every eight minutes and Friday marked the county’s deadliest day of the pandemic. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
The number of people dying from COVID-19 in Los Angeles County has skyrocketed, hospitals became overwhelmed and mortuaries have little space for bodies.
When somebody dies in LA County, family members are left calling around trying to find a funeral home that has space and most do not have any.
"It's a war zone," said a doctor at one L.A. County public hospital, as the COVID-19 surge brings levels of death once unimaginable in the U.S., despite tireless efforts to treat patients.