County’s COVID Hospitalizations Down for Fourth Straight Week

(CNS) – The number of people hospitalized with a coronavirus infection in Riverside County dropped again this week, continuing a trend that began at the start of the month, the Riverside University Health System said Friday. A comparison of data over the last seven days showed that COVID-19 hospitalizations countywide were at 123, down from 168 a week ago, with 21 patients under intensive care, compared to 27 previously. One month ago, 225 people were hospitalized throughout the county with a COVID infection, 27 of whom were ICU patients. Among those hospitalized with a COVID diagnosis in July, 35% had been fully vaccinated with a SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic, and 2% had been partially vaccinated, according to county public health figures. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month announced revised guidance, dropping some measures previously recommended for states and localities, including asymptomatic testing and that a person self-quarantine if exposed to someone with an infection. The changes do not make a distinction between vaccinated and unvaccinated. RUHS said that the aggregate number of COVID cases recorded since the public health documentation period began in March 2020 is 688,535. According to the agency, in the last 29 months, a total 6,643 deaths from virus-related complications have been recorded. The fatality count a week ago was 6,635. The number of known active virus cases in the county, based on available data, is 4,971, compared to 4,692 a week ago. The active count is derived by subtracting deaths and recoveries from the current total — 688,535 – – according to the county Executive Office. Verified patient recoveries countywide are now 676,921. Copyright 2022, City News Service, Inc.