The county has been added to the state’s watch list. Number of latest Santa Cruz cases

Santa Cruz County, California — Santa Cruz County is on the state’s watch list as COVID-19 cases are growing more rapidly than before, another death is associated with the virus, and hospitals are beginning to feel the impact. Flagged to join.

Assuming the current trend continues and the county remains on the list for three days, additional restrictions apply to local businesses. County news officer Dr. Gale Newell said at a news conference Thursday that 90 percent of Californians were already under these restrictions.

According to Newel, 878 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Santa Cruz County so far, but it is necessary to increase the number of cases. There were 153 incidents in the city of Santa Cruz.

Over two-thirds of cases across the county have been reported in the past two weeks. Mimi Hall, director of the county health department, said more than 1,000 cases are likely to occur on Monday.

“Our staff is overwhelmed by the huge number of cases that are increasing every day,” said Newell.

Newell also announced that the death of a fourth resident of Santa Cruz County, a man in his 70s, was associated with a coronavirus. COVID-19 was a contributing factor, but not a major one, she said. He was hospitalized for heart problems and was positive for COVID-19.

She said the hospital is beginning to see the effects. Currently, 20 known COVID-19 patients are hospitalized.

Most of the virus-infected residents of Santa Cruz County are in close contact with each other, and those who are more than 15 minutes and less than 6 feet from each other are ill. Usually, those people don’t wear masks, Newell said.

The protests triggered by George Floyd’s death did not seem to dent the numbers.

Most of the new cases occur in Watsonville and surrounding areas, where 429 people were ill, Newell said. There are many new cases in young adults aged 18 to 34 years. They are likely to work in important jobs and want to interact with others.

“We know that everyone is fed up with shelters,” Hall said. “The order has been canceled, but we really need everyone’s cooperation to think about the people around you and your family and members of your more vulnerable community.”

Newell urged the public to wear a face covering and stay 6 feet away from others when they needed to interact with people outside the household. She said she would stay home if she was feeling unwell, covering her coughs and sneezes, frequently washing her hands and cleaning the surface.

Likely limits

When a county is added to the state’s watch list, it means that the state’s health authorities are focusing on problematic COVID-19 statistics and providing targeted support to assist the county’s progress. To do.

If Santa Cruz County remains on the list for three consecutive days, there will be additional restrictions. Closed indoor fitness facility. Indoor worship service; ceremonies such as weddings and funerals. Office buildings for unwanted workers; personal care services such as nail salons. Hairdressers and barbers; New Mall said. These businesses may continue to operate if they can be moved outdoors.

She said the limit would take effect in about a week.

Employers encourage action

Mr. Hall, director of the Health Department, said several clusters were found at work. There was no infection between workers and the general public.

He said the number of cases is increasing and contact tracking alone is no longer enough to slow down the spread of coronaviruses.

According to Hall, people often first notify employers that they are ill. The county asks employers to try, determine, and contact the county immediately with whom their sick employee may have contacted.

The county makes the same demands on healthcare providers.

Strengthening inspection, hospital

The county has used $1 million in federal CARES law funding to purchase equipment to enhance testing capabilities through the University of California, Santa Cruz. According to Hall, the money should help to double or triple the university’s testing capacity.

County clinics and other facilities in the area’s healthcare system have also received funding to create multiple laboratory sites in Santa Cruz County.

Hospitals have been affected more recently, but the load is manageable, said Dr. David Ghilarducci, Director of Emergency Medical Services at the County Health Department. The main concern-intensive care unit capacity-is also at a manageable level.

Unfortunately, he said, there is a shortage of rendecibir, a drug used to treat patients with COVID-19. The quantity is limited in Santa Cruz County because we buy as much medicine as we can to give to our patients.

The county is preparing to reopen the surge treatment site, aiming to maximize unused hospital space, said Gilarducci.

The supply of protective clothing for healthcare workers is still emphasized, but he said the supply chain has improved significantly since this spring. Some tension remains there.

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Full range of coronaviruses: California Coronavirus: What You Need to Know