Worst COVID-19 weeks on record in Riverside County, Southwest County

Jeff pack
Staff writer

A week-long follow-up of COVID-19 pandemic data, Riverside County set a full record, but the virus epidemic continues to grow with new cases, deaths, and hospitalizations, none of which are positive. did.

From Friday, December 11th to Friday, December 18th, Riverside County reported 28,112 new cases of coronavirus and 171 deaths. Since the county began recording virus-related data, 141,062 people have been infected and 1,744 inhabitants have died of COVID-19.

As of Friday, 1,092 people were being treated for the virus in Riverside County hospitals and 224 in the intensive care unit. This resulted in 283 more in the hospital and 54 more in the ICU than last Friday.

The county has conducted 136,447 coronavirus tests in the past week and reported that 1,968 people have recovered from the virus.

The case rate per 100,000 reported by the state increased from 47.8% to 92.2% in a week, and the positive rate also increased from 14.8% to 18.5%.

As of Friday, 0% ICU beds were available in both Riverside County and other parts of Southern California.

The regional ICU bed indicator is an important indicator of Governor Gavin Newsom’s regional stay-at-home order, which came into effect on December 6. This order was triggered when ICU bed availability across Southern California fell below 15%.

Mandates are valid until at least December 28, and the area may be removed from the blockade if bed capacity is restored.

The current curfew affects bars, theaters, museums, hairdressers, indoor recreational facilities, amusement parks and wineries. All of these should remain closed.

The restaurant is limited to takeaways and deliveries, and retailers have limited capacity.

Cities and communities in Southwest Riverside County were also unavoidable when it came to record-breaking coronavirus data.

In total, 6,614 new coronavirus cases and 45 deaths were reported during the week.

Temecula has 571 new cases and 1 death, Murita 712 and 6 deaths, Wildomar 287 and 2 deaths, Lake Elsinore 702 and 1 death, Canyon Lake 91 and no deaths, Menifie 825 and 7 He suffered deaths, Hemet 831 and 19 deaths, and San Jacinto. 626 and 5 deaths were reported.

The Anza community reported 17 new cases, East Hemet 179 and 2 deaths, French Valley 214 and no deaths, Lakeland Village 101 and no deaths, Valle Vista 162 and 2 deaths, Winchester 13 Recorded a new case.

In a message broadcast by the city of Murita on Thursday, December 17, Loma Linda University School of Medicine Senior Vice President Murita J. Peter Baker said the hospital was approaching capacity and restricted the spread of COVID to the community. I requested that you do. 19.

“We use all the beds, resources and staff available, but these levels are completely unsustainable for any period of time,” Baker said. “We are seeking the help of the public to be able to provide care to people in need by limiting the spread of COVID-19.”

Baker said it is important for the general public to be socially distant, wear masks and practice proper hygiene, especially given that the holiday season is in the community.

On Friday, front-line health care workers at the Riverside University Medical Center in Moreno Valley lined up on Friday, December 18, and were the first in the county to receive the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine.

No negative reactions to the vaccine were reported, according to a City News Service report, and most shared the same reassurance.

In a briefing outside the hospital, lung expert Dr. Nikki Mittal said, “I felt like I had 30 pounds lifted from my shoulders when I learned that I had been vaccinated.” It was. “This was very difficult for us. Vaccines are the first step, but not the end.”

The medical center received a total of 1,900 doses, and staff vaccination programs began early in the morning, according to spokeswoman Heather Jackson.

According to local hospital officials, the local hospital expects to receive and administer the vaccine to frontline staff and hospital workers next Monday or Tuesday.

Listed below are the number of confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 since Riverside began recording data in March.

Temecula
Confirmed case: 2,860
Death: 22

Murita
Confirmed case: 3,431
Death: 40

Wildomar
Confirmed case: 1,424
Death: 17

Lake Elsinore
Confirmed case: 3,046
Death: 24

Canyon Lake
Confirmed case: 402
Death: 4

Menifie
Confirmed case: 4,038
Death: 53

Hemet
Confirmed case: 4,042
Death: 103

San Jacinto
Confirmed case: 2,814
Death: 36

Anza
Confirmed case: 51
Death: 0

East Hemet
Confirmed case: 835
Death: 12

French valley
Confirmed case: 884
Death: 4

Lakeland Village
Confirmed case: 467
Death: 3

Valle Vista
Confirmed case: 654
Death: 7

Winchester
Confirmed case: 72
Death: 0

The COVID-19 data recorded by Riverside County can be found at: www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus.

City News Service contributed to this report.

You can contact Jeff Pack by email at the following address: [email protected]..