Fresno’s COVID-19 cases jump again as Central Valley hospitals struggle for resources
The California Department of Public Health on Thursday reported Fresno County added 627 new COVID-19 cases, bringing its total infections to 78,278 since the pandemic started.
The county has recorded 846 deaths related to COVID-19 since March.
The county’s 14-day test positivity average stands at 21.1%, according to the state.
As of Thursday, 644 patients were hospitalized, representing a decrease of 31 patients from the previous day. Eleven intensive care unit beds were available in hospitals throughout the county, accounting for an increase of two beds available from the previous day, according to the state’s data.
On Wednesday, county health officials reported 1,070 new COVID-19 cases in Fresno County, and the total number of infections in the region jumped to nearly 170,000.
Across California, there have been 2,816,969 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic started, and the state’s death toll stands at 31,654 deaths, according to the state’s data.
As of Thursday, Merced County had reported a total of 23,199 coronavirus cases since the pandemic started, according to the county’s data. The county has recorded 290 deaths.
On Thursday, Merced County and hospital officials posted a dire letter, dated Jan. 8, to its website. Officials say the current situation has placed tremendous strain on the county’s two hospitals.
They say if the situation deteriorates, the hospitals will be forced into “crisis standards of care,” causing delays in care and difficult decisions about which patients will be prioritized to receive life-saving treatment. Ambulance diversions may also be required.
“People are at risk of dying due to COVID simply because we are in danger of not having the resources to care for them if we continue to see the number of COVID cases increase at the current rate,” said Dr. Joerg Schuller, vice president of Medical Affairs at Mercy Merced Medical Center. “Progressing to crisis level care means triaging medical care and ventilators so that not everyone who may need that level of care will be able to receive it.”
As of Thursday, Madera County had recorded a total of 12,549 COVID-19 cases, according to the county’s data. The county has reported 130 deaths.
As of Thursday, Mariposa County had reported a total of 331 infections, according to the county’s data. The county has recorded four deaths.
As of Thursday, Tulare County had a total of 39,723 infections, according to the county’s data. The county has recorded 494 deaths.
As of Thursday, Kings County had reported a total of 18,453 infections, according to the county’s data. The county has recorded 110 deaths.
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