Large hospital systems in Southern California are preparing to create more space for corona virus patients as cases continue to surge in the region and across the state. One ER physician said hospital CEOs “are getting anxious” about the capacity of their facilities to handle the influx, and some are developing staged plans to ensure they can. In Orange County, health officials reported Friday that COVID-related hospitalizations climbed 17.6% over the previous three days, well over the state threshold of 10%. The spread has been so pronounced that the county soon could find itself on the state’s watch list for possible renewed lockdown orders..