Early this summer, Valleywise Health was down to a single 12-bed COVID-19 unit.
It now has opened a second, 28-bed unit to treat an additional 13 patients.
Seven of those 25 are on ventilators.
As elsewhere, most patients are unvaccinated and under 50.
Chief clinical officer Dr. Michael White says the safety-net health system will open more such units if necessary, but that would drain resources needed elsewhere.
"If we have to open additional space to care for these patients, we will of course do that. But that's going to negatively impact our ability to deliver care and other things, much like we saw earlier in the year," he said.
White said Valleywise will strive to continue elective surgeries, but cancelations could occur if they need to open more COVID-19 units.
"It affects the entire rest of the hospital operations when you do that. Our goal is to get in front of this and hopefully not have to expand this any further."
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Arizona Coronavirus Cases, Deaths
