Sacramento County sees largest daily jump in coronavirus cases, adding nearly 100 overnight

Sacramento County saw its largest increase in daily coronavirus infections since the onset of the pandemic, reporting nearly 100 positive test results on Saturday morning, as four-county capital region reached 100 deaths and nearly 3,000 cases.

According to county health officials, the total number of infected residents went to 2,069 Saturday from 1,976 on Friday, an increase of 93 new cases or nearly 5 percent. No new deaths were reported by health officials; 67 people in the county have died of COVID-19 complications, all of whom were 65 or older or had underlying health conditions.

Sacramento County’s last highest daily increase was nearly half that amount, at 51 new cases on April 1. At that time, the pandemic was spreading across the globe.

Daily increases were lowered significantly after a high point in early April as local and state officials implemented social distancing measures and closures of various economic sectors. Late April and early May saw daily increases ranging from two to 24, but as coronavirus response measures were pulled back in an attempt to revive the beleaguered economy, infection rates have risen again.

Sacramento County public health officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye previously told The Sacramento Bee that a leading cause behind this COVID-19 surge is an increase in family gatherings. Despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent order directing Californians to wear masks while out in public, crowds of maskless Sacramentans at the reopened bars and clubs, as well as a newly opened Shake Shack, have been a common sight.

This surge is not endemic to Sacramento. California saw a record-high daily increase on Wednesday, with 4,165 new cases across the state. On Friday, infections slowed slightly, with 3,717 new cases reported. All told, nearly 171,000 Californians have been infected with coronavirus and more than 5,400 people have died, according to data provided by Johns Hopkins University. State health officials said 67 fatalities were reported Friday.

Capital region figures

The four-county Sacramento region totals as of Saturday morning were at 100 coronavirus fatalities and at least 2,969 confirmed cases.

Many surrounding areas in the Sacramento region have also seen surges in coronavirus numbers. Placer County in the north has seen a particularly sharp rise in cases in recent days. Health officials reported a new record high of daily increases on Thursday, with 28 new infections. Its last highest daily increase was on Wednesday, with 21 new cases. During the onset of the virus near early April, Placer County’s daily record high was just 12. A total of 490 people have tested positive and nine people have died. Fourteen new cases were added on Saturday.

Yolo County’s daily record stands at 17 new cases on April 6, but recent increases have come dangerously close to breaking it. On June 11, Yolo County health officials reported 15 new cases, then on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, they reported 16 new cases two days in a row. Saturday brought 11 new cases as well. A total of 321 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the county and 24 people have died. Of theses deaths, 17 have been connected to an outbreak at Stollwood Convalescent Hospital in Woodland.

El Dorado County’s coronavirus numbers have remained consistently low relative to much of the Sacramento region. A total of 130 people have tested positive for coronavirus and no COVID-19 deaths have been reported. As of Friday, no patients were in the hospital for viral treatment.

Sutter County health officials reported two new cases on Friday for a total of 99 infections and three dead. Yuba County also added two cases for a total of 41 infections and one dead. While the numbers in these counties remain small, infection rates have been increasing.

Sutter County went for over a month without increasing its case total by more than two, and even saw several days in April and May with no new cases, but since June 3, its daily increases have been consistently higher. Since then, daily infections have not been less than two, and health officials reported two record-high daily increases of six new cases on June 6 and June 8.

Yuba County’s records stand on April 8 and April 9, with two new cases each day, but since mid-April, no new cases had been reported until last week, when a string of single daily infections were added.

Nevada County, like nearby El Dorado County, has kept its coronavirus numbers low. However, it has seen precipitous increases recently. Although only 75 people have been infected and just one person has died, nearly a third of all cases are still active and more are being added each day, according county health officials.

Between April 28 and June 1, Nevada County’s total infections remained static, at 41 total cases. So far this month, health officials have reported an increase in cases of nearly 83 percent. On Wednesday, a new record for daily increases was set with 10 new cases. The majority of cases have been reported in the Truckee area, which accounts for 51 of the county’s total infections.

World numbers

More than 461,000 people worldwide have been killed by the coronavirus as of Friday afternoon, with over 119,000 deaths coming in the U.S., according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The U.S. accounts for more than 2.2 million of the world’s 8.71 million lab-positive cases confirmed as of Saturday.

Brazil has reported 49,000 fatalities after the number of cases there topped 1 million on Friday night. It was followed by the United Kingdom at around 42,500 deaths, Italy at about 34,500, France at nearly 30,000, Spain at over 28,000 and Mexico at close to 20,000.

More businesses get OK to open

Nail salons, massage therapists, tattoo parlors and a number of other types of personal services businesses are allowed to reopen in Sacramento County, which formally amended its coronavirus public health order Friday.

The county is allowing the following activities to resume, with certain adaptations to their procedures required related to social distancing, mask use and sanitation: Nail salons, tattoo parlors, massage therapy, estheticians, waxing, body art and piercing.

All of these businesses are allowed to reopen “only with strict social distancing” measures in place, the local order says, and they must also adhere to the statewide face covering mandate issued Thursday by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.

The governor’s office permitted the latest round of Phase 3 reopenings to begin Friday for 53 of the 58 counties in California that have “self-attested” reopening plans. The businesses join establishments like movie theaters and bars, which were allowed to reopen throughout most of the state as of June 12, as well as retail shopping, dine-in restaurants hair salons and barbershops, which have been phased back in since late May.

Nearby Yolo and Solano counties are also permitting more types of of personal care services to return to business as of Friday.

This story was originally published June 20, 2020 at 10:31 AM.