Record number of Californians hospitalized with COVID-19

The number of people hospitalized in California with confirmed cases of COVID-19 reached its highest point Saturday since the onset of the pandemic, according to state data reviewed by The Chronicle.

There were 3,574 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported in state hospitals on Saturday, the highest total since at least April 1, when California health officials first began releasing that data. The previous high was 3,497 confirmed hospitalizations on April 29.

That number declined gradually over the following month to 2,928 on May 29. It has steadily risen again as many areas of the state have begun to lift stay-at-home measures and economic and social restrictions.

Saturday’s total marked a 22% increase in hospitalizations statewide since May 29. Hospital rates are viewed as a more reliable indicator of the virus’ trajectory than new infections — which have recently been rising — as they are not subject to availability of testing.

California also reported 1,163 confirmed COVID-19 patients in intensive care on Saturday, its highest number since May 3, when there were 1,179 reported ICU cases.

Large counties in Southern California account for a majority of the recent totals. Los Angeles (1,453), Orange (363), Riverside (297), San Diego (280) and San Bernardino (252) counties combined to report about 75% of state hospitalizations Saturday.

In the nine Bay Area counties, hospital rates have leveled off the past month after falling steadily for weeks. The Bay Area reported 233 confirmed hospital cases Saturday, compared to 239 two weeks earlier on June 6 and 241 four weeks earlier on May 23.

San Francisco and San Mateo counties saw peaks in hospital cases in early April followed by gradual decreases. San Francisco peaked at 92 hospital cases April 12 and was down to 32 cases — its second lowest one-day total — on Saturday. San Mateo County reported a high of 69 hospitalizations on April 5 and 15 on Saturday.

Santa Clara County, the area’s hardest-hit early during the pandemic, registered a low of 25 hospitalizations on May 31 followed by an uptick to 41 this weekend.

Alameda County, which passed Santa Clara County in total virus cases last month, reported its peak of 105 hospitalizations May 30. That number had fallen to 77 on Saturday.

Contra Costa County reported its single-day high of 46 hospital patients on April 12. That total had dropped to eight on May 21 but risen again to 34 on Saturday. Solano County reported its highest single-day total of 22 hospitalizations this weekend.