Updated Riverside County COVID Data Expected Monday

Riverside County is expected to announce updated coronavirus numbers Monday, with the most recent data showing COVID-positive patients in intensive care units had increased by eight, while overall hospitalizations dropped slightly. The Riverside University Health System said Friday that the number of ICU patients had increased to 97, compared to 89 Thursday, while total hospitalizations fell to 479, a decline of four. RUHS also reported 1,052 newly confirmed cases, bringing the aggregate number of COVID-19 infections recorded since the public health documentation period began in March 2020 to 319,733. Six additional virus-related deaths were also reported Friday. Officials have reported 4,685 deaths from virus-related complications in the last 17 months. The county updates its figures Monday through Friday. The fatalities are trailing indicators because of delays processing death certificates and can go back a month, according to health officials. Meanwhile, RUHS is attempting to collect statistics tied to the number of hospitalizations involving residents who have been partially or fully vaccinated, according to agency spokesman Jose Arballo. The latest upswing in infections included vaccinated patients in locations worldwide, according to published reports, and the county is seeking to get an accurate representation of local figures. "I am working with administration to get some system for tracking," Arballo told City News Service. "The hospitals may provide that to the state, and we are trying to get a system in place to retrieve that data." The number of known active virus cases countywide was 6,884, down 729 from Thursday. The active count is derived by subtracting deaths and recoveries from the current total — 319,733 — according to the county Executive Office. Verified patient recoveries countywide are 308,164. The recent increase in COVID cases mirrors a nationwide surge, and officials have theorized the Delta variant has helped fuel the escalation, as well as the relaxation of lockdown measures in June. According to RUHS, about 52% of all county residents have either been fully or partially vaccinated. Information on vaccination is available at rivcoph.org/coronavirus.