COVID-19 cases still spiking as death toll reaches 39
During a Monday afternoon update, Sonoma County Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase stated what everyone should have already figured out: we aren’t coming off the state watchlist any time soon.
“Our rate of positive test is about 6%, and that reflects a seven-day average. Our case rate is 188 per 100,000, which is 88 above the state threshold,” Mase said. “Given that, you may be wondering what our status is in regards to state monitoring after three weeks. We will continue to remain on the (state watchlist) list, as we do not meet state benchmarks for transmission and ICU bed availability. Over the last two weeks, we’ve had 944 new cases, which says our transmission rate is too high, well over the standard for containment. We need to bring that below the 100 per 100,000 level in the county to reach the benchmark for more relaxed measures.”
As of Aug. 3, the county has 3,113 cases. 1,455 of which are active, with 39 deaths. The areas where the county is not meeting the state’s criteria include the case rate of greater than 100 per 100,000, the limited number of ICU beds available (state requires 20% available, county currently has 12.2%) and in increase in the number of hospitalizations of more than 20 in a single day. In addition, 80% of the deaths have occurred in residential care or skilled nursing facilities, another metric causing the state concern.
“We’ve asked the state to help us with the outbreak that we are having in our skilled nursing facilities,” said Mase. “As many of you know, since Friday we’ve had another six deaths, all of them in skilled nursing facilities or residential care homes. It is really tragic that more than 80% of the deaths in Sonoma County due to COVID-19 are from these facilities. We’ve been working really closely with these facilities, but the fact is the state has the regulatory authority for these facilities. Because of this we’ve asked state to intervene more intensely than they have been over the last months.”
That intervention will include daily site visits and daily recommendations, and the use of state strike teams that will have the ability to move patients to other sites or even create alternative care sites (ACS) if they determine that’s necessary, according to Mase.
The testing rate in the county has continued to increase, something Mase classifies as “good news,” as is the levelling out in overall hospitalizations due to COVID-19.
However, Mase was very clear without appropriate levels of mask wearing and social distancing, especially avoiding social gatherings, the county will not get off the watchlist anytime soon.
“Our job is to stop the spread, it is the only way to stop this pandemic, get off the watchlist and get back to opening parts of our community and relax some of these restrictions. We need your help to do this,” Mase said. “Each one of us can do our part. (Wearing) facial covering when outside the home, especially indoors, maintaining six feet of physical distance at all times, whether indoors or outdoors, washing your hand frequently and also follow general hygiene rules, but most of all avoiding social gatherings.
“Social gatherings have been shown already in our database to be leading to more and more cases, whether it’s a gathering with extended family or friends, it is very important to limit these kinds of gatherings at this time, stick with members of your household for now,” she concluded.
Antibody testing now available to a wider array of people
The county has been methodically doing antibody testing for the last several weeks, starting with first responders and health care workers, and then moving to essential workers like grocery store employees. Starting now, the testing will also be available and encouraged for school employees, including teachers, administrators, custodians and all other employees. If you fall into one of these categories, you are encouraged to contact the county for an antibody test.
“It will give another perspective on community spread and we will continue to gather this data,” Mase said. “Testing positive for the COVID-19 antibodies does not indicate immunity, however a benefit is if your test positive you might be eligible to donate plasma to people who are sick.”
