Would it sound awkward if I say "patient" instead of "case" in this context?

Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
It would sound a little awkward, yes! That's because "patients" could have many other ailments, and not just COVID-19. So there may be many patients in a medical facility but no cases of COVID-19. Ex: We've had no cases of chicken pox this week, but a lot of patients have the flu. Ex: She's a patient at the hospital. Ex: They discovered a new case of COVID-19 today.