The number of COVID-positive patients in San Diego County hospitals fell by two to 144, according to the latest state numbers released Saturday.
Of those patients hospitalized as of Saturday, 15 were being treated in intensive care, an increase of six. There were 231 available ICU beds, a decrease of three from Friday.
Meanwhile, the statewide total of hospitalized patients was 1,725, down from 1,762 on Friday. Some patients were admitted for other reasons and learned they had COVID after a mandated test.
Last week, the county’s Health and Human Services Agency reported 1,120 new COVID cases and 10 additional deaths linked to the virus. That brings the cumulative totals since the beginning of the pandemic to 988,766 cases and 5,820 deaths, the agency said.
A majority of people who die with COVID-19 are elderly or have an underlying health condition such as diabetes, heart disease or hypertension.
The county releases its weekly COVID numbers on Thursdays.
Updated at 2:50 p.m. March 25, 2023
–City News Service