Health & Fitness
COVID-19 Patients Still Packing ICU Wards In Riverside County
While overall COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to decline, ICU beds are still housing a large number of virus patients.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Coronavirus hospitalizations continued to fall Wednesday in Riverside County, continuing a trend that began three weeks ago, but intensive care units countywide remained packed with COVID-19 and other patients.
The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations countywide is at 920, down 34 from Tuesday, according to the Riverside University Health System. That figure includes 256 patients in intensive-care unit beds, up two from the day before.
Riverside County Emergency Management Director Bruce Barton told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that the county's available ICU space remains at 0 percent, along with the 11-county Southern California region. However, he pointed out that the peak in hospitalizations now appears to have been in the second week of January, with signs pointing to a continuing decline, though it was unclear when the county might recover to pre-surge levels.
Find out what's happening in Temeculafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Meanwhile, the total number of coronavirus cases recorded since the pandemic began in early March 2020 is 277,724, up 793 from Tuesday. About three-quarters of those cases are recorded as "recovered."
The virus-related death toll increased to 3,278, up 27 from the day before. The fatalities are trailing indicators because of delays processing death certificates and cover three- to four-week periods.
Find out what's happening in Temeculafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
On the vaccination front, RHUS data show the county has received 224,200 Pfizer and Moderna SARS-Cov-2 vaccine doses, and that roughly 87 percent of that stock has already been administered.
RUHS's Dr. Geoffrey Leung told the board there are ongoing supply challenges, but the county is focused on offering immunizations "to the most vulnerable."
"We know call center wait times have been long," Leung said. "We're increasing staff and improving out technology platform to make scheduling easier."
The reservation portal to make an appointment for vaccination can be accessed via www.rivcoph.org/COVID-19-Vaccine. Those who need assistance may also call the county's 211 help line.
