An additional 12 San Diego County residents have died of the novel coronavirus, the largest single-day loss of life yet, county officials reported Tuesday.

The region also logged 50 more cases of COVID-19 for a total of 1,454. The county’s death toll now stands at 31.

Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county’s public health officer, said the sharp increase in deaths “should be no cause for alarm as the number of deaths typically lag behind the number of positive cases reported.”

In San Diego County, about 54% of COVID-19 patients are between the ages of 20 and 49 years. About 48% of patients are female. In about 1% of cases, gender was not available.


About 20% of patients needed to be hospitalized, and about 8% required intensive care.

About 2% of patients die from COVID-19; most victims have underlying medical conditions, Wooten said.

“Our sincerest sympathies and condolences go out to the families and friends of those individuals who have lost their lives due to COVID-19,” she said.

Officials also reported eight new outbreaks, for a total of 25 confirmed clusters. There are now 17 outbreaks at congregate living facilities — six more than before — accounting for 133 cases. There are also two more community-spread clusters, for a total of six outbreaks that represent 33 cases.


Winkley writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.