The surging coronavirus case count is putting stress on the health care system with ICU units nearing bed capacity in many states.

Dr. Tom Tsai, a surgeon and health policy researcher with Harvard Global Health Institute, told Yahoo Finance Live he’s “deeply concerned” about hospital staffing and expects to see an “increased burden on our hospitals” as ICU units run out of beds.

“We are not turning the corner. We're still in this phase of exponential spread,” said Tsai. “What's concerning about this phase is we have a shortage of people. Nurses and doctors are getting sick. The supply of ventilators has increased, our supply of masks has increased, but our supply of doctors and nurses have not. I'm very deeply concerned about what that means for the next few weeks.”

As of Friday, more than 68,000 people were hospitalized around the country due to coronavirus, according to the COVID-19 Tracking Project. That’s nearly double the number the U.S. saw just one month ago.

In terms of ICU bed capacity, states in the Midwest are sounding the alarm. The latest numbers from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services show more than 90% of its ICU beds are in use, while Utah’s ICU bed capacity hovers around 84%. Illinois’ ICU bed capacity stands at 72%, which has led a group of physicians, the Illinois Medical Professionals Action Collaborative Team, to warn the state could surpass its ICU bed capacity by Thanksgiving.

While the numbers are alarming, there was a bit of good news this week. Pfizer (PFE) announced on Monday its COVID-19 vaccine was more than 90% effective, giving Americans hope at a time when the situation remains grim. On Friday, President Trump looked to reassure Americans in the midst of record high COVID-19 cases, promising the delivery of a vaccine “will be very rapid.”

But the vaccine shouldn’t be the only focus, said Tsai. It’s important for the administration to prioritize policies to curb the spread of the virus, he said.

“We've seen the failure of a lack of a strategy, and a lot can happen to turn the course of the pandemic the next two months. My hope is the president and the current task force really focus on the problem at hand and try to stem the tide of the rising number of cases.”

Seana Smith anchors Yahoo Finance’s 3-5 pm ET program. Follow her on Twitter @SeanaNSmith

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