With San Joaquin County operating at more than 135 percent of licensed bed capacity in the ICU as of Dec. 24, there were a total of 14 patient deaths reported in the 24-hour period from afternoon Dec. 23 to afternoon Dec. 24. That was the highest single day total since the beginning of the pandemic.

A Department of Defense, DOD, medical assistance team consisting of 39 members is being deployed to San Joaquin County to expand the much needed hospital ICU capacity. Team members include two physicians, two physician assistants, seven respiratory therapists, 24 registered nurses and support staff. The DOD medical assistance team is scheduled to arrive on Dec. 29 for orientation and should be operating in time for the New Year’s weekend.

Team members will be working at Adventist Health Lodi Memorial Hospital in Lodi and Dameron Hospital in Stockton.

“The deployment of the DOD medical assistance team to San Joaquin County is welcome news,” said Dan Burch, San Joaquin County EMS, Emergency Medical Services, Administrator. “We know from our previous experience during the summer patient surge just how valuable these medical professionals are in serving our community.”

The San Joaquin County EMS Agency requested the DOD medical assistance team from the State of California EMS Authority through the California medical/health mutual aid system.

San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services, in partnership with San Joaquin County EMS Agency, provides updates daily on the most current hospital statistics, Monday through Friday.