The COVID-19 death toll in Imperial County has reached 400.

The numbers released Tuesday morning by the Imperial County Public Health Department show that 400 people have died from the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic. The numbers also show that there are currently 1,856 active cases of the virus with 198 currently hospitalized with the disease with 41 of them in ICU beds. There are 86 COVID-19 patients currently on ventilators. El Centro Regional Medical Center has 161 licensed beds but currently has 175 patients and 131 of them COVID-19 related. The El Centro hospital is utilizing a temporary medical / surgical unit set up in the facilities north parking lot. Both ECRMC and Pioneers Memorial Hospital have been stretched to the limit with staff and facilities trying to meet the surge in patients. As of Tuesday morning there were two ICU beds available in the county. Healthcare officials are concerned that the Christmas holiday will see many people choosing to ignore the social distancing mandates to celebrate with extended family and friends so as to create an even larger surge than felt after the Thanksgiving holiday.