A third novel coronavirus patient in Riverside County has died from the virus, county Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said Tuesday morning, March 17.

Like the county’s other two COVID-19 fatalities, the third patient who died is from the Coachella Valley, according to county spokeswoman Brooke Federico.

Two of the fatalities were men and one was a woman, all in their 70s, said county health spokesman Jose Arballo Jr. Two of them had additional underlying health conditions, he said.

At least 16 county residents have been confirmed to have the coronavirus. Two are cruise ship passengers who were hospitalized in Northern California and two are from western Riverside County; the rest of the cases are in the Coachella Valley.

Kaiser made the announcement in a briefing to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.

Riverside County’s first two deaths were announced Monday, March 16.