RivCo Surpasses 5K COVID Deaths: 140 Were In Elsinore, Wildomar

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Riverside County surpassed a grim milestone Friday when another 10 COVID-19 deaths were reported, bringing the death toll to 5,004 residents lost since the pandemic began last year, according to data from Riverside University Health System.

Southwest Riverside County cities have not been spared, with Menifee and Murrieta losing more people to the virus than other nearby cities:

• Menifee — 192 deaths
• Murrieta — 156 deaths
• Temecula — 94 deaths
• Lake Elsinore — 86 deaths
• Wildomar — 54 deaths
• Canyon Lake — 19 deaths

The city figures above do not include nearby unincorporated areas

Friday's countywide death toll marks an increase of 53 since one week ago, according to RUHS data.

The majority of the county's COVID-19 deaths have been older residents, but all age groups have been hit, the RUHS data show:

• 4 deaths in children ages o-17
• 24 deaths in young adults ages 18-24
• 247 deaths in people ages 25-44
• 1,359 deaths in people ages 45-64
• 2,425 deaths in seniors ages 65-84
• 945 deaths in seniors ages 85 and older

The county does not release personal health information about COVID patients.

COVID-related hospitalizations countywide were at 347 Friday, down 75 patients over the last week. Friday's total figure includes 99 intensive care patients, down 18 from a week ago.

On Friday, 663 new COVID-19 infections were confirmed, lifting the county's overall number since the pandemic began to 354,624. That is up by 3,583 cases over the last week, according to RUHS data.

Countywide, 57.9 percent of residents 12 and older are now fully vaccinated against the virus.

Free vaccines continue to be offered across the county, including Pfizer booster shots.

To receive a Pfizer vaccine booster, residents must have received their second vaccine dose of Pfizer at least six months ago. To be eligible, residents must be either 65 years or older or be 18-64 years old and either have underlying health conditions that put them at risk of COVID-19 or be at increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 due to occupational or institutional reasons, such as being a healthcare worker.

To learn more about vaccination clinic locations in Riverside County or to make an appointment, visit myturn.ca.gov.