Riverside County's 4,052 COVID-19 Deaths, Disparities

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — On Tuesday — the same day that Riverside County moved into the red tier of the state’s COVID-19 framework — another grim milestone was hit: more than 4,000 county residents died over the last year due to the virus.

On Wednesday, the total number of COVID-19 deaths was reported at 4,052, an increase of 81 people over the last three days, according to data provided by Riverside University Health System.

The fatalities are trailing indicators because of delays processing death certificates, but Riverside County residents are still dying from virus-related complications despite the steep decline in cases and hospitalizations.

As data continues to show, people in certain age and race/ethnic groups are much more susceptible to dying from the virus.

Several Riverside County officials have pointed out the COVID-19 race/ethnicity and age disparities, including Riverside County Public Health Director Kim Saruwatari, who has worked to bring testing and vaccination to underserved communities and settings.

The California Department of Public Health has also addressed the issue, and on Wednesday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a plan to invest $2.25 billion over two years to address COVID-19-related health disparities among populations that are at high-risk and underserved, including racial and ethnic minority groups and people living in rural areas.

The funding represents the CDC’s largest investment to date to support communities affected by COVID-19-related health disparities, according to the federal agency.

The national initiative includes providing grants to public health departments to improve testing and contact tracing; develop mitigation and prevention resources and services; improve data collection and reporting; build, leverage, and expand infrastructure support; and mobilize partners and collaborators to advance health equity, according to the CDC.

“Data show that COVID-19 has disproportionately affected some populations and placed them at higher risk, including those who are medically underserved, racial and ethnic minority groups, and people living in rural communities. These groups may experience higher risk of exposure, infection, hospitalization, and mortality. In addition, evidence shows that racial and ethnic minority groups and people living in rural communities have disproportionate rates of chronic diseases that can increase the risk of becoming severely ill from COVID-19 and may also encounter barriers to testing, treatment, or vaccination,” according to a CDC news release.

The CDC initiative is funded through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 and is expected to award funding to up to 108 state, local, territorial, and state health departments, according to the federal health agency.

Despite the troubling death toll, Riverside County continues to see improvement in COVID-19 statistics. COVID-positive hospitalizations did edge up slightly Wednesday in the county but they remain below 200.

According to RUHS, patients in hospitals countywide diagnosed with coronavirus now number 190, compared to 188 on Tuesday. That includes 43 COVID-positive intensive care unit patients, up one from a day ago.

The total number of COVID-19 cases recorded since the public health documentation period began in March 2020 is 292,606, up 203 from Tuesday. Verified patient recoveries countywide are now at 284,693.

To keep virus spread down, residents are encouraged by health officials to continue following safety protocols (face masks, distancing, and frequent handwashing), and get tested for the virus.

Officials are also urging eligible residents to get vaccinated. For more information about free county-operated vaccination clinics, click here.

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