5 SoCal counties have 73% of all California COVID-19 cases — and 80% of hospitalizations

New California data released Saturday show how the majority of cases and deaths, as well as current hospitalizations, are concentrated in Southern California.

California on Saturday said it has 2,678 fatalities from coronavirus, up 93 from a day prior, a rise of 3.6%. There are now 64,561 confirmed cases statewide, up 2,049 cases from a day earlier, a rise of 3.3%

A total of 912,570 tests have been conducted in California and reported to the California Department of Public Health, officials said Saturday. Gov. Gavin Newsom has set a goal of testing 60,000 residents daily; 37,298 new tests were conducted in the most recent 24-hour period, up 4.3% from a day earlier.

While Los Angeles County accounts for about a quarter of California’s population, it has about 48% of the state’s coronavirus cases — 31,197. Other Southern California counties round out the top five spots, based on figures from those counties released Saturday:

• Riverside County is second, with 4,992 cases.
• San Diego County comes in a close third, with 4,776 cases.
• Orange County is fourth, with 3,380.
• San Bernardino is fifth, with 2,902.

Together, these five Southern California counties account for about 73% of all the state’s cases to date.

Not surprisingly, these five Southern California counties also have the most current hospitalizations of coronavirus patients. Based on hospital figures from Friday, May 8, more than 80% of all people hospitalized in California with COVID-19 are in these five counties:

• Los Angeles, 1,766
• San Diego, 334
• Orange, 222
• Riverside, 189
• San Bernardino, 142

California’s local health departments have reported 7,026 positive cases in health care workers and 38 deaths, officials said. That means health care workers’ cases represent 10.8% of all cases statewide, and about 1.4% of all fatalities.

Riverside County update

Riverside County health officials Saturday reported 175 new COVID-19 cases bringing the number to 4,992 total cases, and no new deaths keeping the number at 204

Riverside County has confirmed about 207 cases per 100,000 people. Riverside County is outpacing California’s overall testing rate with about 2,802 tests administered per 100,000 residents to date. In total, the county and private labs in the county have administered 69,250 tests.

A total of 2,616 people have recovered.

Riverside County officials reported on Saturday 23 new cases and no additional deaths in the Coachella Valley’s nine cities, which have806 positive cases and 35 virus-related deaths:

• Cathedral City: 104 cases and 1 death
• Coachella: 158 cases and 3 deaths 
• Desert Hot Springs: 49 cases and 0 deaths 
• Indian Wells: 14 cases and 0 deaths 
• Indio: 150 cases and 5 deaths 
• La Quinta: 82 cases and 5 deaths 
• Palm Desert: 112 cases and 9 deaths 
• Palm Springs: 108 cases and 9 deaths 
• Rancho Mirage: 29 cases and 3 deaths 
• Unincorporated communities: Bermuda Dunes:  5 cases and 0 deaths; Desert Edge: 3 cases and 0 deaths; Desert Palms: 8 cases and 0 deaths; Garnet: 9 cases and 0 deaths; Mecca: 33 cases and 1 deaths; North Shore: 9 cases and 0 deaths; Oasis: 18 cases and 0 deaths; Sky Valley: 2 cases and 0 deaths; Thermal: 11 cases and 0 deaths; Thousand Palms: 7 cases and 0 deaths; Vista Santa Rosa: 5 cases and 0 deaths
• California: 64,561 positive cases and 2,678 deaths, as of data released on Saturday

Coachella saw the largest jump with seven new cases. Four more were reported in Indio, with three more in Desert Hot Springs, Palm Desert and Indio. Palm Springs had two new cases, Rancho Mirage had one, and no new cases were reported in Cathedral City and Indian Wells.

In unincorporated communities, cases went down by one in Garnet and were flat in other areas.

There were 183 cases in county jails, with two deaths and 120 inmates who have recovered.

San Bernardino sees biggest jump in cases

San Bernardino County public health officials on Saturday reported 273 new COVID-19 cases and three new deaths. The total number of confirmed cases rose to 2,902. The county also announced that the death toll had risen to 114, up 3 since Friday. The 273 cases in one day is the most since the pandemic began.

Saturday’s figures mean the county is reporting 133 coronavirus cases per every 100,000 residents, up from 120 coronavirus cases for every 100,000 residents the day before. Cases are doubling at a rate of 12.1 days.

San Bernardino County officials said 30,012 patients have been tested, of which 9.7% have tested positive for coronavirus.

Imperial County officials reported 57 new COVID-19 cases on Friday evening, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases to 512. Officials reported one additional deaths, bringing the total death toll since the pandemic began to 12.

Of the total cases, 262 were active cases and 238 people had recovered. The county — which has fewer than 200,000 residents — had conducted 3,363 tests.

Statewide, out of more than 64,500 coronavirus cases, more than 3,200 coronavirus patients remain in the hospital. Approximately 1,115 are in intensive care. 

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