San Diego

San Diego Family's Warning as COVID-19 Deaths Continue Rising

As vaccines continue to be administered across the county, cases, hospitalizations and deaths continue to rise. 

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Family and friends are devastated after a young mother, sister, and daughter's life was taken too soon.

“We were just praying and hoping that God would cure her and send her back home, but we just kept getting more and more bad news,” said Jacqueline Saldivar, Mayra Saldivar’s sister.

Early this month, Mayra Saldivar, 27, was hospitalized after doctors found blood clots in her lungs. The young woman suffered from diabetes and asthma. Her family says doctors kept her in observation for two weeks. They say she was doing a lot better last week, then she was diagnosed with COVID-19. 

“The day she was supposed to go home, they told her she tested positive,” said Saldivar’s sisters.

They add that from that point on, Mayra Saldivar’s condition went from good to bad.

“Her organs started failing, her oxygen levels went down and she couldn't even breathe on her own anymore,” said Saldivar’s sister.

Mayra Saldivar passed away on Friday, just nine days after her diagnosis.

On that same day, a record 79 deaths were reported in the county. Since the pandemic started, the county has seen a total of 2,375  COVID-19 deaths. Latinos represent 44 percent of those deaths. 

“People are not going to take it seriously until it's one of their loved ones,” said Saldivar’s sister.

Their message to everyone is: take the virus seriously. They hope in sharing their tragic story others will take note.

Mayra Saldivar leaves behind three sisters, her mother and a 14-year-old son.

The family has set up a GoFundMe account here.

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