Local hospitals showing across-the-board drops in COVID-19 hospitalizations

Local hospitals are finally starting to show clear, consistent declines in COVID-19 hospitalizations in the latest data released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, though coronavirus patients still make up a significant percentage of those hospitalized in Riverside and San Diego counties.

While some local hospitals showed declines in coronavirus hospitalizations in data from two weeks ago, others showed slight increases. The data released by federal health officials Feb. 1 is the first time coronavirus hospitalization declined at all hospitals in areas adjacent to Fallbrook that Village News has been monitoring.

The percentages of patients who were confirmed to be positive for COVID-19 were in the 30s and 40s at Southwest Healthcare System (which includes Inland Valley and Rancho Springs medical centers in Wildomar and Murrieta, respectively), Loma Linda University Medical Center Murrieta, and the nearest San Diego County hospital to Fallbrook, Palomar Medical Center Escondido, in the week preceding Feb. 1; COVID-19 patients were only a majority at one local medical facility, Temecula Valley Hospital, where they made up an average of 52% of patients.

The three Southwest Riverside County hospitals’ counts of coronavirus hospitalizations dropped by about 10-15 between the Jan. 24 and Feb. 1 data dumps. Palomar Medical Center Escondido saw its coronavirus hospitalizations drop by about 17 patients.

Hospitals are still pushing the limits of ICU space, however, with all local hospitals except Loma Linda University Medical Center Murrieta being within 2-4 patients of ICU capacity in the week before Feb. 1. Temecula Valley Hospital and Palomar Medical Center Escondido did see slight increases in ICU patients, while the other two hospitals saw slight decreases.

The state is officially reporting the 11-county Southern California region’s available ICU capacity at 0%; while the recent data show ICUs not quite at full capacity, state officials and healthcare professionals have said over the course of the pandemic that available staff also play a role in determining ICU space.

Here is a more detailed look at some of the most recent HHS data on local hospitals:

Temecula Valley Hospital

Total beds (7-day average): 162.3 (161.9 last week)

Total inpatient beds used (7-day average): 143.6 (144.1 last week)

Total adults hospitalized, confirmed COVID-19 positive (7-day average): 73.3 (82 last week)

ICU beds (7-day average): 31.4 (28 last week)

ICU beds used (7-day average): 30.1 (26.3 last week)

Southwest Healthcare System (Inland Valley and Rancho Springs medical centers)

Total beds (7-day average): 250.4 (same as last week)

Total inpatient beds used (7-day average): 245.6 (244.9 last week)

Total adults hospitalized, confirmed COVID-19 positive (7-day average): 111.4 (126 last week)

ICU beds (7-day average): 33.6 (36.6 last week)

ICU beds used (7-day average): 32 (36.6 last week)

Loma Linda University Medical Center Murrieta

Total beds (7-day average): 163.7 (174.7 last week)

Total inpatient beds used (7-day average): 147.6 (156.1 last week)

Total adults hospitalized, confirmed COVID-19 positive (7-day average): 64.1 (78.6 last week)

ICU beds (7-day average): 25 (27 last week)

ICU beds used (7-day average): 17.9 (19.4 last week)

Palomar Medical Center Escondido

Total beds (7-day average): 404 (398.1 last week)

Total inpatient beds used (7-day average): 299.1 (293.1 last week)

Total adults hospitalized, confirmed COVID-19 positive (7-day average): 138.9 (155.6 last week)

ICU beds (7-day average): 48 (42.1 last week)

ICU beds used (7-day average): 48 (38.4 last week)

Will Fritz can be reached by email at [email protected].