Labor Day coronavirus numbers are in: California officials see an uptick in cases

Two and a half weeks after Labor Day weekend, California officials are seeing a “concerning” uptick in coronavirus cases and predicting a rise in hospitalizations through October, Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said Friday.

It’s not possible to say for sure how much of the increase is due to Labor Day. Other factors that also could have contributed to the rise include wildfires that have forced mass evacuations and changes in behavior under a new statewide reopening system implemented late last month, Ghaly said.

But the timing of this increase comes when scientists would expect to see the effects of disease spread from the holiday weekend and from the new reopening framework.

As cases increase, hospitalizations and emergency room visits related to COVID-19 are also climbing, Ghialy said.

Over the next month, state projections anticipate an 89% increase in hospitalized COVID patients — from nearly 2,600 patients to more than 4,800 in late October.

The increases come after weeks of steady decline. As of Friday, California’s test positivity rate over the last 14 days was hovering at 3%.

In the meantime, flu season is beginning in California, which also has the potential to strain hospitals.

Ghaly said Californians should do everything they can to slow COVID-19 spread to prevent another spike in cases like the state saw over the summer. He encouraged people to wear masks, maintain distance from others, wash hands frequently, minimize contact with people from other households and get flu shots.

In counties allowing restaurants and other businesses to operate indoors, Ghaly said that people should avoid outings with others from different households.

“It really is about not letting our guard down as we did earlier in the summer,” Ghaly said.