Deaths continuing to rise at Sierra View and Tulare County
Tulare County and Sierra View Medical Center have reported an increase in the number of deaths over the last week.
Sierra View Medical Center has reported six deaths over this past weekend due to COVID-19. On Monday, Sierra View reported it has had 184 deaths due to COVID-19. On Friday, Sierraview reported it had 178 deaths.
On September 3 Sierra View reported it had 174 deaths. The hospital reported 176 deaths on September 7 and 177 deaths on September 9.
On Monday Tulare County Health and Human Services reported Tulare County has had 883 deaths. On Wednesday the health department reported there were 874 deaths in Tulare County due to COVID-19.
On Monday the state reported Tulare County had 887 deaths. That’s actually a decrease from a previous total it reported of 889, but the state revised its figure and determined there were two less deaths due to COVID-19.
The state’s projection for deaths in Tulare County remains high as it now expects the number of deaths in the county to reach 1,119 by October 13.
The number of active cases in Tulare County continues to grow and is expected to continue to increase after the Labor Day weekend. On Monday, the health department reported there were 3,980 active cases in Tulare County.
Since March 11, 2020 the county health department reported on Monday there has been 58,559 cases. The state figure for Tulare County is 58,582 cases. In Tulare
County, 11.7 percent of its residents have tested positive for COVID-19.
The case rate also remains high as the state reported on Monday Tulare County’s case rate was 45.8 per 100,000.
Sierra View reported on Monday it had 32 COVID-19 patients and two patients suspected of having COVID-19. Sierra View reported nine of its 10 ICU beds were in use and six of the nine ICU patients were COVID-19 patients.
The state reported on Monday there were 169 COVID-19 patients in Tulare County, a decrease of nine from the 178 reported the day before. The state reported on Monday there were three ICU beds available in Tulare County, which was one more than the day before. The state has reported recently the number of available ICU beds in Tulare County has been as low as one.
Tulare County’s positive test rate continues to be on the rise again. The county’s positive test rate had fallen to 9.5 percent but the state reported as of Monday its positive test rate was back up to 10.7 percent, equaling the highest number the state has reported in recent weeks.
As of the week ending Sunday, the county health department reported 223,452 Tulare County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, which represents roughly a little more than half of those eligible in the county. The health department reported there has been a total of 401,025 doses administered.
LARGE EVENTS After September 20 those attending indoor events with 1,000 or more in attendance must provide proof they’re
fully vaccinated or of a to negative COVID-19 test. Those attending such events can no longer “self-attest” they’re vaccination or negative test status after September 20.
This could conceivably affect the 75th annual Veterans Homecoming Queen Pageant that will be held on October 23.
The guidelines remain the same for outdoor events with 10,000 or more people as it’s still only recommended all those in attendance be fully vaccinated or have a negative COVID-19 test.
The guidelines cover such events as parades, so a Veterans Day Parade that would be held in Porterville on November 11 would fall under the guidelines. Under the current guidelines the parade could be held.
Plans are being made for the parade to be held on November 11 and the City of Porterville and its COVID-19 ad hoc committee are reviewing protocols when it comes to the approval of holding the parade.
The current guidelines are in effect until November 1. The California Department of Public Health will review the guidelines on October 15.
Democrats in the State Legislature delayed a pending proposal that could have required everyone entering indoor businesses to be fully vaccinated. Democrats in the State Legislature will revisit the issue in 2022.
At today’s 9 a.m. Tulare County Board of Supervisors meeting with the latest surge an update will be presented on the status of COVID-19 in Tulare County. It will be the first update presented at the board meeting since June.