Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have decreased by 18.3% in San Joaquin County over the past week. There are currently 255 COVID-19 patients admitted for care.
Hospital adult intensive care units are operating at 141% of licensed bed capacity, San Joaquin County Emergency Medical Services Agency reported Wednesday afternoon. Seven patient deaths due to COVID-19 were reported in the past 24 hours; 849 deaths have been reported in San Joaquin County since the start of the pandemic.
Of the county s 830 hospital beds in use, 255 (31%) are occupied by COVID-19 patients, and of the county s 140 ICU beds in use, 76 (54%) are occupied by COVID-19 patients. St. Joseph s Medical Center has the most COVID-19 patients in the ICU with 32.
“It s been very hard for our business and our center to stay open and busy as we got to be, he said, noting that businesses have dealt with the effects of the pandemic since March 13. I think everyone is excited that we are making a little bit of progress.
California health officials lifted regional stay-at-home orders across the state Monday as the numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations and intensive care unit patients have declined since early January.
The change will allow businesses such as restaurants to resume outdoor operations in many areas, though local officials could choose to continue stricter rules. The state is also lifting a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew.
State projections: 12,000 more deaths in a month
Under the state projections posted online, statewide hospitalizations are forecast to drop from Friday s figure of 18,442 to 14,214 by Feb. 23. The number of ICU patients, 4,534 as of Friday, is projected to decline to 3,321 by Feb. 23.
Over the same month-long period, the state projects the death toll will rise from 36,361 to 48,322 an increase of 32%.
The number of COVID-19 positive patients hospitalized in San Joaquin County has dropped steadily over the past week, though ICU capacity is still at record hights, according to figures from the San Joaquin County Emergency Medical Services Agency.
An anticipated surge in COVID-19 patients from holiday gatherings has not materialized, the San Joaquin County Emergency Medical Services Agency reported Wednesday.