The number of COVID-positive patients in Riverside County hospitals has decreased by three people to 54, according to the latest state figures.
Of those patients, 10 were in intensive care, the same as Tuesday.
Also Wednesday, the Riverside University Health System reported 134 new positive COVID tests and eight additional virus-related deaths, bringing the county’s cumulative totals to 597,354 cases and 6,461 fatalities since the pandemic began.
Fatalities are considered trailing indicators because of delays processing death certificates, meaning some deaths may have actually occurred weeks ago. Health officials have said that the vast majority of people who die of COVID complications have underlying conditions, mainly hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.
The number of known active virus cases in the county was 2,591 as of Wednesday. The active count is derived by subtracting deaths and recoveries from the current total — 597,354. Verified patient recoveries countywide are 588,302.