COVID-19 deaths continue in Sacramento County. 14 dead this week as hospitalizations rise
The COVID-19 death toll in the Sacramento area continues to rise, as coronavirus hospitalization rates locally and across California reach their highest points yet.
Sunday brought two more deaths in Sacramento County, bringing the total number of dead in the coronavirus pandemic up to 83. One of these was below the age of 65, the tenth person so far in this age group to have died in the county. This week, 14 people have died of COVID-19 — county health officials reported five deaths Monday, two on both Tuesday and Wednesday, one on Friday and two on Saturday. This week’s total accounts for 16 percent of all deaths since the start of the pandemic.
On Friday, Sacramento County’s running total of infections also surpassed the 5,000 mark. As of Sunday morning, 5,489 people have been infected with coronavirus, up by 150 from Saturday’s tally.
Of these infections, more than half, or about 3,100, are still active cases, many of which have emerged in recent weeks. Between June 23 and July 6, almost 2,200 infections were reported.
The demographic leading in terms of infection rates is still younger in Sacramento County. The 20 to 29 cohort accounts for the largest share of patients, with almost 1,200 infections, followed by those ages 30 to 39, who account for more than 1,000 infections. Patients older than 60 make up just over 1,000 as well.
The number of Sacramento County residents in hospitals has been growing exponentially as infection rates have been rising. Currently, 157 patients who have tested positive for coronavirus are in hospitals. Of those, 51 are being treated in intensive care units.
In mid-May, the number of hospitalized patients hit a low of seven, but began to rise drastically in June. In the past three weeks, hospitalizations have gone up by almost 350 percent. The county has 93 ICU beds still available for its roughly 1.5 million residents.
California COVID-19 trends
Trends in Sacramento County are roughly analogous with those in California. According to the California Department of Public Health, 6,357 people were hospitalized across the state. Of those, 1,806 were in ICUs. Statewide hospitalizations also began to rise in mid-June, shortly after economic restrictions were loosened by Gov. Gavin Newsom. Public health experts have consistently identified family gatherings and large celebrations as the leading cause in the recent surge in infections.
California hit a low of around 3,100 patients in hospitals around mid-June, indicating an increase of more than 100 percent since then.
A total of 312,000 Californians have tested positive for coronavirus and almost 7,000 have died of COVID-19. For several weeks, as infection rates climbed, death rates remained static, but state data now shows that deaths have been trending up in the past week or so. On Wednesday, California saw its deadliest day yet, with 149 new deaths reported in a single day. Thursday added 140 to that number. The last highest daily death toll was on April 22, when state officials reported 115 fatalities.
In the past 14 days, deaths have gone up by just over 18 percent. In the same time span, statewide infections went up by nearly 51 percent. Tuesday saw the highest daily infection increase in California since the start of the pandemic, adding 11,694 new cases.
Placer County has also been experiencing increased rates of infection. As of Saturday, a total of 1,077 tests have come back positive in the county, and 11 people have died. On Saturday, 34 cases were added to the total, followed by 22 more on Sunday. The county set a record for daily coronavirus infections on July 5, when 49 people tested positive for the virus. The day before, 42 people tested positive.
Two people who died in Placer County were between the ages of 50 and 64. The rest were 65 or older. Currently, 31 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, and five are being treated in ICUs, according to state data. In late June, just eight people were hospitalized. The county has 25 available ICU beds and was added to the state’s regional coronavirus watchlist Thursday due to increasing rates of infection.
Yolo County has reported a total of 884 cases of coronavirus and 28 deaths. County health officials added 38 new infections on Friday and 45 more on Saturday. Of all infections, 93 have been linked to outbreaks at long-term care facilities. Stollwood Convalescent Hospital’s outbreak, which was first reported in April, accounts for 66 infections and 17 deaths. Alderson Convalescent Hospital has reported 15 infections and Courtyard Healthcare Center has reported seven.
Twelve coronavirus patients are hospitalized in Yolo County and three are in ICUs. Four ICU beds are open in the county. The county was added to the state watchlist on Wednesday.
El Dorado County is the only county in the greater Sacramento area to have not been put on the state’s coronavirus watchlist, owing to its relatively low infection rate and its rare status as a Northern California county that has not yet seen a death from COVID-19. Only 307 people have been infected by the coronavirus in the county, almost half of which reside in the Lake Tahoe area. State data shows that two people were placed into ICUs on Saturday. The county has seven ICU beds available.
Sutter County was added to the state watchlist on Thursday, due to increasing infection rates. Neighboring Yuba County was officially added Saturday, although bi-county officials were expecting that move. Sutter County reported its highest daily infections on Friday, adding 35 new cases, plus 17 more Saturday for a total of 388 people infected.
Four people have died in Sutter County and 17 people are currently hospitalized. Yuba County added 17 cases on Friday and 11 on Saturday for a total of 192 infections. Three people have died and eight people are hospitalized. Yuba County saw a record-high day of infections on July 1, adding 19 new cases of coronavirus.
Worldwide, 12.7 million people have been infected and 566,000 have died of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States accounts for about a quarter of all infections, with 3.2 million cases. More than 134,000 Americans have died. Brazil is the next major vector of infections, with 1.8 million officially confirmed cases of coronavirus. India has recently seen a surge in cases, surpassing Russia with nearly 850,000 infections across the subcontinent.
State orders Placer County to limit business
Placer County, having been included on the state’s coronavirus watchlist for more than three days, was ordered by the California Department of Public Health to limit its economy once again, as many other nearby county have already done.
The state health department’s director issued an amended order to the county on Saturday, to take effect Sunday, that effectively shut down bars, limited restaurants to outdoor seating and closed many entertainment venues.
The closures are to remain in place until further notice, although the order indicates that they are not to be lifted until at least the start of August.
“I understand how frustrating this is for our local businesses, and my hope is that our whole community will pull together and promote the personal precautions that can help reverse these disease trends,” Placer County Health Officer Dr. Aimee Sisson said in a prepared statement on Sunday. “Please wash your hands, maintain physical distance, wear a face covering in public, and do not gather with non-household members.”
Placer County officials pointed to large household gatherings, community events and indoor work as factors in the increased infection rates, and suggested that patients in Sacramento County may also be playing a role in hospital capacity. Many large hospitals near the county line serve residents of both Sacramento and Placer counties.
CDPH officials pointed out in the state coronavirus watchlist that Placer County’s most troubling trend is its “increased hospitalizations and limited hospital capacity,” but added that “the rising number of cases of COVID-19 in Placer County as well as in neighboring counties are driving an increase in hospitalizations. Placer County’s two largest hospitals lie on the Placer-Sacramento County border and provide care to residents of both counties, as well as other neighboring counties.”
What is COVID-19? How is the coronavirus spread?
Coronavirus is spread through contact between people within 6 feet of each other, especially through coughing and sneezing that expels respiratory droplets that land in the mouths or noses of people nearby. The CDC says it’s possible to catch the disease COVID-19 by touching something that has the virus on it, and then touching your own face, “but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”
Symptoms of the virus that causes COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath, which may occur two days to two weeks after exposure. Most develop only mild symptoms, but some people develop more severe symptoms, including pneumonia, which can be fatal. The disease is especially dangerous to the elderly and others with weaker immune systems.
This story was originally published July 12, 2020 at 10:56 AM.
