What to Know New York City doctors are actively taking to social media to describe the crisis situation in their emergency rooms

One doctor described a single night in a Manhattan ICU, taking care of 20 people on ventilators due to COVID-19

New York City is the U.S. epicenter of the global pandemic, with roughly 30 percent of the nation's cases

Even as President Trump insists New York has enough ventilators, implies medical supplies are disappearing out the back doors of hospitals and insists infections are days from peaking, doctors on the frontlines in the city are painting a very different - and much more grim - picture.

The death toll in New York City rose 14 percent in less than 8 hours on Sunday. More than 33,000 people in the city have the disease, and the system is so strained that a field hospital is being built in Central Park -- just like a scene out of a Hollywood apocalypse movie.

As the system creaks and buckles, doctors are taking to social media to share just how real the crisis is on the ground.

"#YESitsREAL that we physicians are used to taking care of patients with really lethal diseases but yet the unifying commonality of #COVID19 is 'I’ve NEVER seen anything like this,'" Ajay Kirtane, a New York Presbyterian cardiologist, tweeted Monday morning.

"YESitsREAL that I'd bet the chances are SLIM to NONE that we emerge from this without everyone in the US personally knowing someone who died due to #COVID19," Kirtane wrote. "I pray that I am wrong (and #YESitsREAL I don’t usually pray OR bet)."

Kirtane's full Twitter thread is below:

2/#YESitsREAL that the randomness of the people who are sick is eerie. Many have “comorbidities” but many don’t.



My takeout person asked me, “Are there really young people?”



I silently screamed (through my eyes) as I quietly said (through my mouth) “YES!” — Ajay Kirtane MD SM (@ajaykirtane) March 30, 2020

4/#YESitsREAL that entire NYC health enterprise has been entirely repurposed for the treatment of s SINGLE disease.



Think about it. World class surgeons/proceduralists across all hospitals completely shut down to deal w/a single disease and it’s still not enough. — Ajay Kirtane MD SM (@ajaykirtane) March 30, 2020

6/#YESitsREAL that we physicians are used to taking care of patients with really lethal diseases but yet the unifying commonality of #COVID19 is “I’ve NEVER seen anything like this.” — Ajay Kirtane MD SM (@ajaykirtane) March 30, 2020

8/#YESitsREAL that every time one of us coughs (it IS allergy season) or pants a little going up some steps we think “Could it be me?”#YESitsREAL that I’ve made it a priority to get my will finalized, and I know I’m not the only one. — Ajay Kirtane MD SM (@ajaykirtane) March 30, 2020

10/#YESitsREAL that we will persevere and get to the other side with colleagues and friends who are stronger than we ever knew. Thanks to all of you out there for your support in helping us try to stay that way.



But please believe us:



IT’s DEFINITELY REAL. — Ajay Kirtane MD SM (@ajaykirtane) March 30, 2020

Kirtane was hardly alone in his assessment, though. Many healthcare workers took to Twitter in the past few hours to share the same view.

"Last night in the ICU of a #NYC hospital, I cared for 20 patients who were all on breathing machines due to #COVID19. Some REALLY young (20s), without comorbidities. Everyone is extremely sick. But sicker patients keep flooding in…," Prakriti Gaba, a doctor at Columbia University Medical Center, wrote.

"Hospital staff are exhausted & honestly - scared. Our healthcare system is in survival mode... ," she added. You can read her full thread here.

Amid the crisis, New York emergency rooms are taking to fabricating whatever protective supplies they can so doctors can protect themselves from possible exposure, even as they try to keep treating people.

We had this intubation box made based on the taiwanese doctors specs. Works well. Theoretically minimizes exposure to aerosolization of virus. Thought it would take some practice but actually easy to use as long as patient fits in it. Dont bother if large patient. #COVID19 tips pic.twitter.com/qKE7taPoQD — Eric Lee MD (@EricLeeMD) March 29, 2020

New York City stands as the U.S. epicenter of the global pandemic, with roughly 30 percent of the country's cases and more than a quarter of its deaths.