CLEVELAND, Ohio - The spread of COVID-19 has forced one of Ohio’s largest hospitals to suspend surgeries that are not considered to be essential.

Cleveland Clinic issued a statement on Tuesday saying it is seeing rapidly increasing inpatient volumes and patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at its hospitals in Ohio.

 In order to make additional beds available, Cleveland Clinic says it is postponing scheduled nonessential surgeries requiring a hospital bed starting Wednesday, Dec. 8, through Friday, Dec. 17, 2021.  The nonessential cases can be rescheduled for a later date. 

According to the statement, Lutheran Hospital is not impacted by the suspension.

Essential and urgent surgeries, as well as heart, cancer, pediatric and transplantation surgeries, and outpatient surgeries not requiring a hospital bed, will continue to be scheduled.

Cleveland Clinic’s hospitals and emergency departments remain open.