There were 1,006 patients with the coronavirus at county hospitals as of Saturday, up from 991 on Friday. The number of those patients in intensive care was 152, up one from Friday.
Emergency Management Director Bruce Barton told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that, in recent weeks, only 28% of individuals passing through emergency rooms were diagnosed with COVID-19. He didn’t list the other illnesses for which people have been seeking treatment, but he noted that “there’s a larger non-COVID census laying on top of that COVID patient load.”
The Riverside University Health System said the aggregate number of COVID cases recorded since the public health documentation period began is 423,832. Thursday’s number was 422,084.
According to RUHS, the total number of deaths countywide from virus-related complications now stands at 5,671, going back to March 2020. The count is up 10 from Thursday.
The number of known active virus cases countywide was 17,592 on Friday, up 1,485 from the day prior. The active count is derived by subtracting deaths and recoveries from the current total — 423,832– according to the county Executive Office. Verified patient recoveries countywide are 400,569.
The RUHS does not update COVID data on holidays and weekends.
On Thursday, the first infant death stemming from coronavirus complications was confirmed in Riverside County.
According to RUHS officials, the infant death occurred after the victim had been hospitalized and diagnosed with COVID-19, though officials did not say whether there were other health problems impacting the child, whose identity, including gender and exact age, were not disclosed.
“Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the parents, family and others who are impacted by this tragedy,” county Public Health Officer Dr. Geoffrey Leung said. “This loss reminds us that this virus does not discriminate between the young and old.”
Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff Hewitt echoed the public health officer’s sentiments, saying it was “devastating to learn about the passing of this infant life. Our hearts and thoughts go out to the family.”
Officials said that the loss is a reminder of the need for precautions to minimize the chances of virus exposure.
A total of five county residents under 18 years old have died from complications in some way tied to COVID over the past 22 months.