An Associated Press analysis of federal hospital data shows that since November, the share of US hospitals nearing the breaking point has doubled. More than 40 per cent of Americans now live in areas running out of intensive care unit (ICU) space, with only 15pc of beds still available.

“You can’t push great people forever, right? I mean, it just isn’t possible,” said Houston Methodist CEO Dr Marc Boom, who is among many hospital leaders hoping that the numbers of critically ill Covid-19 patients have begun to plateau.

According to data through Thursday from the Covid Tracking Project, hospitalisations are still high in the West and the South, with over 80,000 current Covid-19 hospital patients in those regions.

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