White House says a lot of Americans are having that elective surgery they’ve been putting off since the pandemic

The White House is refusing to accept the fact that hospitalizations in coronavirus hotspot cities are spiking and ICU beds in many areas are near or over-capacity.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters Thursday that the increase in hospitalizations across the country are due to "elective surgeries," and not COVID-19 patients fighting for their lives.

NBC News' Peter Alexander, noting that hospitalizations are up 50% asked McEnany, "How could the president say the country is in good shape right now?"

"Hospitalizations in a lot of these hospitals," McEnany replied, "about 10 to 40% are COVID, so a lot of hospitalizations aren't pertaining to COVID."

When pressed by Alexander, she replied, "Well a lot of it is elective surgeries and other surgeries that have opened up, about 10 to 40% in the hospitals reaching capacity."

"Average current coronavirus hospitalizations are up 43 percent since a week ago in Nevada, 36 percent in West Virginia and 35 percent in Alabama," The Washington Post reports

"Texas bans elective surgeries in more than 100 counties as coronavirus hospitalizations keep climbing," the Texas Tribune reported Thursday afternoon.

Multiple news reports show that since the coronavirus pandemic Americans have been terrified to go to the hospital even when they are having a heart attack – or think they have the coronavirus – and are dying as a result.