New record of 3,603 positive tests in one day as California passes 125,000 cases
California set a new single-day record for confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday, as a surge of new positive tests pushed the number of cases statewide above 125,000.
According to data compiled by the San Jose Mercury News, public health officials throughout the state reported 3,603 new coronavirus cases and 83 new deaths Friday.
California has now confirmed 126,204 cases, and 4,536 people are known to have died from COVID-19.
The number of new reported cases has been climbing at an alarming clip in recent weeks — Friday’s new record shattered the previous single-day high of 3,131 cases, which was set on Monday.
But the increase has come as access to coronavirus testing has expanded, so it’s not clear whether the trend reflects that COVID-19 is surging in the state, or if more people who have the deadly illness are now being tested for it. Public health officials have long cautioned that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases severely undercounts the prevalence of the illness in a community because access to testing is limited.
And there has not been a matching increase in deaths from COVID-19 — while the seven-day average of positive tests has climbed steadily since mid-May, the average for deaths has declined over the same time period.
Still, state officials are pushing ahead with plans for reopening businesses and aspects of daily life in California that shuttered in mid-March, rolling out guidelines on Friday for how gyms, bars, campgrounds, professional sports and other businesses could resume operations as soon as next week.
Sacramento County records 1,500th case, 59th death
Sacramento County eclipsed 1,500 total confirmed cases on Friday, public health officials said, and the county’s death toll stands at 59.
The county public health department increased the infection total to 1,537 update, an increase of 18 from the previous day. On Friday, cases rose by 29, and officials disclosed one additional fatality. The death came in Elk Grove.
The milestone comes as the virus, which causes the respiratory disease COVID-19, continues to spread throughout California, the U.S. and most of the world, and as the county increases its diagnostic testing capacity while simultaneously reopening a number of Phase 2 businesses — in-store retail and dine-in service at restaurants — with modifications.
Sacramento County officials last week announced a less invasive, self-swabbing test at its main drive-thru testing site at Cal Expo.
Though the recent Elk Grove death was newly reported Friday, it occurred in May. The county’s most recent confirmed COVID-19 death happened May 26.
Of the 59 fatalities, 28 have died in Sacramento, eight in Citrus Heights, six in Rancho Cordova, three in Elk Grove, three in Folsom and 11 in incorporated territory. Three new deaths — one Friday and two Monday — were reported last week.
Cases rise 33 percent over five days in Placer County
Placer County saw a 33 percent jump in the number of coronavirus cases between May 27 and Wednesday, county public health officer, Dr. Aimee Sisson, said on Thursday, demonstrating that the respiratory illness “is still very much here and that people should take as many precautions as they can.”
The county has recorded 275 cases and nine deaths, last updated on Saturday to add 10 more infections since Friday. Reported infections have surged recently, with 19 new cases reported Thursday for the highest single-day increase to date in the county. Six more were reported in Friday’s update.
Sisson noted: “Though there have been a few clusters of cases — several in one family connected to international travel and a number of cases in the Auburn jail — our more recent cases are notable for a shift in age. Since May 27, no new cases have been reported for anyone 65 or older, but we’ve seen cases in those aged 18-49 years old jump from 83 to 127, and cases in those aged 0-17 years jump from two to 11.”
It appears that people 65 and older are heeding the call to stay home as much as possible, Sisson said, and she encouraged them to continue to do so because they and people with chronic health conditions are at high risk of complications from the virus that causes COVID-19.
Sisson said the increase in cases is not due simply to the fact that more tests are being done. Rather, her team is seeing an increase in the percentage of tests that come back positive, she said, a statistic that typically goes down as more tests are done.
Currently, Sisson said, fewer than 5 percent of tests are coming back positive over a rolling 14-day period.
Placer County reports 172 “likely recovered” cases, suggesting 84 active cases, and 11 currently hospitalized, including four in the ICU.
More figures from Capital region, world
Yolo County reported three new cases in a Saturday update; the county has a total of 221 cases and 24 deaths. Health authorities have now connected 17 of the 24 deaths with Stollwood Convalescent Hospital, part of the St. John’s Retirement Village complex in Woodland, where an outbreak was first reported April 13.
El Dorado County reported four new cases Friday. The county had a total of 106 COVID-19 cases as of Friday. In an emailed statement, a county spokeswoman said 34 of those cases remain active, and that one patient is hospitalized and in the ICU.
Sutter County reported three new cases Saturday; the county had a total of 55 cases and two deaths. The county reported one new case Friday and four the day before. Yuba County has reported 32 people infected so far and one fatality. Sutter County reported three infected people were hospitalized on Thursday, and Yuba says none were in the hospital for COVID-19.
Nevada County tallied 50 cases, adding one on Friday, and had a six-case jump on Tuesday, according to health officials.
Worldwide, more than 6.77 million people have tested positive for COVID-19 and near 400,000 have died, according to data tracked by Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. accounted for 1.9 million cases and about 109,000 fatalities as of Saturday.
This story was originally published June 6, 2020 at 10:45 AM.