CALIFORNIA’S TOTAL CORONAVIRUS CASES TOP 5 MILLION AS DOWNTURN CONTINUES
Officials urge caution with holidays bringing more people indoors
California has now reported 5 million coronavirus cases, a sobering total that underscores the pervasiveness of the COVID-19 pandemic during its nearly twoyear rampage through the state.
The milestone comes at a somewhat promising, though still precarious, time in the outbreak. The daily numbers of newly recorded infections and those hospitalized with the disease have declined in recent weeks, a welcome trend heading into the heart of the holiday season.
But officials have long circled this winter on their cautionary calendar, warning that the combination of holiday travel, colder weather and increasing indoor gatherings could threaten to fuel the still-potent pandemic.
“I recognize the fear that many of us have as we now enter into the winter, as we enter into a season where — if past is prologue — we should anticipate an increase of cases, an increase in hospitalizations, an increase in people in ICUs, and tragically the likelihood, if we don’t take seriously this moment, an increase in the number of people that will lose their lives,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said this week.
As of Thursday, California’s reported coronavirus case count stood at 5,001,249, according to state data compiled by the Los Angeles Times. San Diego County has recorded 379,629 infections and 4,311 deaths as of Thursday.
The overall figure means that 5 million Californians have, at some point, tested positive for a coronavirus infection.
Included in that total are nearly 253,000 “probable” cases — those that have been identified with an antigen test but haven’t yet been confirmed with more time-consuming and accurate PCR screening.
California’s cumulative number of cases that have been definitively confirmed, about 4.75 million, is easily the highest in the nation — not surprising, given the Golden State has more than 39 million residents.
Adjusting for population shows a different picture, though. Throughout the pandemic, California has reported about 12,775 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents, the 10th
lowest of any state, according to the Los Angeles Times.
By comparison, eight states — North Dakota, Alaska, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, South Carolina and Florida — have recorded rates that exceed 18,000 cumulative cases per 100,000 residents.
The pace at which California’s case count grew hastened notably during the Delta coronavirus surge that struck over the summer.
California hit the 3 million case mark in mid-January. Nearly seven months later, in early August, the state reached 4 million cases.
Adding another million confirmed and probable cases took only 3½ months.
But there are signs the pandemic has lost some steam in California. Over the last week, the state has reported an average of about 4,800 new coronavirus cases per day — down nearly 22 percent from the level seen two weeks ago.
Hospitalizations, too, are trending downward. The number of coronavirus-positive patients hospitalized statewide Wednesday was 3,409, a 28 percent decrease since the start of October.
More promising still is that the downward trend has continued even after Halloween.
Last year’s holiday, though far more limited and measured than normal, helped fuel what eventually would swell into the worst wave of the pandemic over the winter.
Still, officials are striking a cautious tone. Some other areas of the country have recently seen sharp increases in coronavirus transmission — a potential warning sign as the weather turns and the holidays approach.
As Newsom put it during a briefing Tuesday: “This virus, this disease, is not taking the winter off. It’s coming back in force, and you’re seeing that all across this country.
You’re seeing it in the Dakotas. You’re seeing it in Colorado. You’re seeing it in New Hampshire, Vermont. You’re seeing it around the world.”
Federal figures underscore the challenge other states are currently facing.
Over the last seven days, California has reported 94.6 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents — the ninth-lowest rate of any state, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
By comparison, six other states — Minnesota, Michigan, New Mexico, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Wisconsin — recorded case rates over the last week that were at least four times higher than California’s.
Health officials generally agree California is unlikely to face a winter coronavirus resurgence on the scale of last year, in large part because of how many residents have been vaccinated. More than 70 percent of all Californians have received at least one vaccine dose.
However, the experience elsewhere — even in highly vaccinated states such as New Hampshire and New Mexico — demonstrates just how readily the coronavirus can rebound.
That makes it all the more important, officials say, for unvaccinated residents to get their shots, and for those eligible for a booster to do likewise.
San Diego County public health officials said Wednesday they were supporting those choosing to get COVID-19 vaccination boosters, following California Department of Public Health recommendations for those 18 and older.
People who completed the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine series more than six months ago are eligible for a booster shot. Those who received the Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccine more than two months ago are eligible to get a booster shot.
“I encourage everyone who is eligible for a booster to make time soon to get their shot,” said Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county’s public health officer. “As we begin to attend more gatherings for the holidays, the booster dose can help better prevent infection and slow the spread of COVID-19.”
The number of county residents who have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine is now nearly 2.61 million — or 82.9 percent of residents 5 and older.
More than 2.33 million, or 74.3 percent, are fully vaccinated. Close to 345,000 San Diegans 18 years of age or older have received a booster dose.