Over 300 new COVID-19 cases reported in Fresno County. Regional ICU capacity falls again
The California Department of Public Health on Monday reported Fresno County added 301 new COVID-19 cases, pushing its total infections close to 41,000 since the pandemic began in March.
The increase in cases represents a 0.7% increase from the previous day, data shows. The total number of people who have become infected with the virus in Fresno County since the pandemic started now stands at 40,869, state data shows.
The county’s death toll is at 506. Fresno County officials report COVID-19 fatalities on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Fresno County’s 14-day average positivity rate was at 10.4% on Monday, according to the state’s data. The county, and the central San Joaquin Valley region, is now under a coronavirus lockdown that went into effect at midnight on Monday.
The stay-at-home orders were issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom and are expected to last at least three weeks.
The orders are meant to prevent overwhelming hospitals in counties with less than 15% ICU capacity.
On Monday morning, Newsom in a Tweet said the ICU capacity in the San Joaquin Valley was at 6.3%. On Friday, the ICU capacity in the region was at 14.1%, and as of Sunday, it had gone down to 6.6%.
On Monday, there were only seven ICU beds available in Fresno County, which has 149 licensed ICU beds for a population of more than 1 million. On Sunday, only six ICU beds were available, and one opened up on Monday. A total of 436 patients were hospitalized on Monday, accounting for an increase of 16 patients from the prior day, state data shows.
As of Monday, Tulare County had a total of 22,857 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began and 317 deaths.
As of Sunday, Kings County County had 12,054 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began and 95 deaths.
Merced County hadn’t updated its numbers Monday afternoon.
As of Monday morning, Mariposa County had 159 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began and three deaths.
Madera County hadn’t updated its data late Monday afternoon.
Across California, a total of 24,735 new COVID-19 cases were reported Monday, for a total of 1,366,435 since March. A total of 59 new deaths were reported statewide, for a total of 19,935 since the pandemic took hold.
A total of 2,470 patients across the state were in intensive care units on Monday for confirmed or suspected COVID-19, representing an increase of 77 from the prior day. In total, 10,998 patients were hospitalized Monday for suspected and confirmed COVID-19 illness.
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