Well again, not _really_. We were also ventilating people who didn't need it. You don't need an ICU bed if you aren't vented. Furthermore, the mortality rate of being on an ventilator is non-negligible.

I would be interested in seeing if there is data to say whether being put in the ICU actually _increased_ risk of death. Of course this would be hard to prove as only the most sick went to the ICU etc.