Health & Fitness
Coronavirus Cases Rise 'Exponentially' In Riverside County
The increasing deaths and COVID-19 cases are what health officials have feared — and warned the public about.
RIVERSIDE, CA — Friday marked a difficult day in Riverside County as the sheriff's department announced a second deputy death due to coronavirus, and local health officials delivered grim messages of what's ahead if the public does not stop spreading the disease.
Wearing face coverings to protect against COVID-19 spread, Riverside County health officials and leaders pleaded with residents during a press briefing to step up prevention efforts.
"Please stop, we beg you," said Dr. Michael Mesisca, Riverside University Health System-Medical Center, referring to the continued gatherings and lack of proper social distancing among some residents. "This virus is brutal," he warned.
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Friday, the number of COVID-19 cases jumped to 638 countywide, an increase of 145 people overnight. The death toll stands at 15.
Amid the sharp increase came graphic details from county health officials about COVID-19's destruction. In confirmed cases, one out of 20 people will become critically ill, lungs filling with fluid and debris, Mesisca said. Breathing becomes nearly impossible without a ventilator.
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Sadly, family members and loved ones can't be nearby to comfort. Risk of infection is too great, Mesisca explained.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department is now too familiar with that awful reality.
Deputies Terrell Young and David Werksman did not work together and did not cross paths, but both died of COVID-19 complications on Thursday. There will be no near-term gatherings to honor the deputies — a tradition in law enforcement. Read more: Second Deputy Dies From Coronavirus In Riverside County
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The increasing deaths and COVID-19 cases are what health officials have feared.
Dr. Geoff Leung, Riverside University Health System-Medical Center, said county cases are rising exponentially. Without a shift in current public behavior, Leung said the county is tracking to have 65,000 COVID-19 cases by early May, 11,000 hospitalizations due the disease, and potentially 1,000 deaths.
Those 11,000 hospitalizations are three to four times the county's current capacity, he said.
The county has been preparing for the surge, and all of the region's hospitals are part of the coordinated effort, according to Mesisca. Unfortunately, at the current rate of infection (a doubling of cases every 4.7 days), the county will be out of ICU beds by April 12, tapped out on on hospital beds by April 22, and out of ventilators April 26.
"We have little time left," Leung said.
Shortages exist in healthcare staffing, supplies (including much-needed ventilators) and space. To help fill in the gap, Riverside University Health System has published "Donate" and "Volunteer" portals on its website, where companies and individuals can offer donations, and healthcare workers can offer their time. Mesisca said the response has been overwhelming but need still exists.
What can the individual — who doesn't have resources nor medical training — do to assist in the effort? According to county health officials, the greatest public contribution is to follow the stay-home order, don't gather, close non-essential businesses, cover your face and nose when out in public, and practice social distancing.
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