Coronavirus Thanksgiving Surge Underway In Riverside County

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — As predicted by health care officials, Riverside County is experiencing a significant rise in the number of new coronavirus infections following the Thanksgiving holiday that for many families included mixing with people from outside their immediate households.

On Wednesday, new coronavirus cases rose by 4,103 to 107,324, according to Riverside University Health System. The sharp increase was followed by Tuesday's record-setting 10,949 new cases.

Some of the cases are part of a backlog in reporting, but RUHS spokesman Jose Arballo said, "We believe some of the higher numbers for this week are part of the Thanksgiving bump/surge that will be seen for at least the next couple of weeks."

As cases increase, hospitalizations and the death toll are rising.

The number of Riverside County residents who've died from COVID-19-related complications stood at 1,539 Wednesday, an increase of 26 deaths. Tuesday saw 25 people die from the virus, and Monday 16 new deaths were reported.

The number of people hospitalized Wednesday with the virus climbed by 35 to 768 patients, including 172 intensive-care unit patients. On Tuesday, 144 COVID-19 patients were reported in ICU.

In addition to being at an all-time high with COVID-19 hospitalizations, the county has also surpassed its peak of 167 COVID-19 ICU patients on July 29.

Twelve percent of Riverside County residents infected with coronavirus are currently ending up in the hospital, Public Health Director Kim Saruwatari told the Riverside County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

While not quite at the breaking point in terms of bed capacity, state models show Riverside County could see two to three times the number of coronavirus hospitalizations by next month, RUHS-Medical Center's Dr. Geoffrey Leung told the board.

Out of the county's total 3,560 licensed hospital beds across 17 acute-care facilities, 2,512 beds, or 70 percent, were occupied as of Monday, Bruce Barton, director for the county's Emergency Management Department, told the board. The county's ICU beds were at 90 percent capacity in the county, he said.

Hospital staffing continues to be a primary concern in Riverside County. On Tuesday, staff shortages were reported at 10 out of the county's 17 acute-care facilities. Read more here about the shortages.