Author: dailycastsocal

A surge of COVID cases is sweeping through California, with the state experiencing ongoing rises in newly confirmed infections and hospitalizations as some officials urge the public to adopt heightened precautions. The scale of the recent upticks has led certain county health officials to advise residents to reconsider wearing masks in indoor public spaces, at least until transmission rates decrease. California currently shows “high” levels of coronavirus in wastewater, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Increases are being observed statewide, from Los Angeles County to the San Francisco Bay Area and around the state capital. The CDC estimates that COVID-19 infections are either “increasing” or “likely increasing” in 30 states, California included. Twenty-one states report either “very high” or “high” viral levels in wastewater. The West leads the U.S. regions in coronavirus levels in wastewater, followed by the South. “California is undergoing a summer COVID wave,” remarked Dr. Aimee Sisson, health officer in Yolo County, situated just west of Sacramento. The percentage of positive COVID lab tests is also rising. For the week ending Aug. 23, 12.07% of tests across the state returned positive, up from 6.03% for the week ending July 26. Similar increases were noted in L.A. County, where the positive test rate jumped to 13.44%, up from 8.11% four weeks prior; in Orange County, it rose to 18.1% from 9.4%; and in San Francisco, it climbed to 8.7% from 7.1%. Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious diseases at Kaiser Permanente Southern California, noted she received numerous calls regarding outpatient COVID-19 cases while on duty during the Labor Day weekend. “We are definitely witnessing an increase in COVID patients,” Hudson stated. “Fortunately, inpatient cases remain rare. However, wastewater levels continue to rise in Los Angeles, indicating we have not yet peaked in this current wave.” Overall, this summer’s COVID activity is not on par with last year, which saw California’s worst summer wave since 2022. “We will need to monitor what happens over the next week or two for a clearer picture,” Hudson added. The return of students to school, alongside holiday travel and social gatherings, could potentially lead to further viral transmission, she noted. Statewide, COVID hospital admissions are currently categorized as “low,” yet they are on the rise. For the week ending Aug. 23, there were 3.62 COVID hospital admissions per 100,000 residents; a rise from 1.9 four weeks earlier. This latest rate is also higher than the winter peak of 2.61 admissions per 100,000 residents. Emergency room visits for COVID-like symptoms are also increasing in Los Angeles, Orange, and Santa Clara counties. In L.A. County, 2.8% of ER visits were for symptoms like fever and cough or sore throat, up from 2.2% four weeks earlier. In Orange County, it was 2.6%, up from 1.5%. “Current COVID-19 positivity rates are higher than at any point last winter,” noted Dr. Christopher Zimmerman from the Orange County Health Care Agency’s Communicable Disease Control Division, with Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, the county’s health officer. As of Aug. 23, 1.9% of total hospitalizations in Orange County were attributed to COVID—higher than the winter’s peak yet less than half of last summer’s peak at 4%. However, it remains uncertain “how high or how severe this summer’s COVID wave might become,” Zimmerman and Chinsio-Kwong remarked, indicating this year’s increase began later than in 2024. In Los Angeles County, COVID-19 hospitalizations are roughly equivalent to last winter’s peak but still fall below the peaks of the past two summers, according to the L.A. County Department of Public Health. Sisson indicated that wastewater analysis reveals high coronavirus levels in both Sacramento and West Sacramento, a densely populated city in Yolo County. She advised all individuals aged 2 and older in West Sacramento to “wear a mask in indoor public settings due to elevated coronavirus levels in sewage there.” For other regions in Yolo County, including UC Davis and Woodland, where wastewater viral levels are regarded as “medium,” Sisson recommends that individuals wear masks indoors “if they are 65 or older, have a weakened immune system, have a medical condition that increases their risk for severe COVID-19, or are around individuals who fall into these categories.” “Using a high-quality mask such as an N95, KN95, or KF94 that fits well can provide substantial protection,” Sisson added. COVID cases are rising in Sacramento County, and wastewater levels are deemed high, as stated by Casey Camacho, a spokesperson for the Sacramento County Department of Health Services. The San Francisco Department of Public Health encourages individuals “to consider wearing a well-fitted mask in crowded indoor venues, including on public transport, and to remain at home if feeling unwell.” COVID levels in San Francisco’s wastewater and hospitalizations are up this summer, but both remain below the peaks of the previous summer. In Santa Clara County, the most populous area in Northern California, COVID-related hospitalizations are increasing, and wastewater levels are “high” in the sewershed of San José and Palo Alto. Current viral levels in wastewater are similar to what was observed in summer 2023 but have not hit last summer’s peak. COVID hospitalization rates are also lower than those of past summer seasons, according to public health officials. The updated 2025-26 version of the COVID-19 vaccine is expected to become available soon at some national pharmacy retailers, such as Walgreens and CVS. However, some individuals express frustration with new guidelines from the Trump administration, which effectively require younger, healthy individuals under 65 without an underlying health condition to consult with a healthcare provider for a fall COVID vaccination. “Vaccination continues to be one of the most effective strategies to prevent severe illness and death from COVID-19,” Sisson remarked. The requirement has faced criticism from Dr. Jerome Adams, a former surgeon general during the Trump administration. In social media posts, Adams stated that mandating a health consultation prior to receiving a COVID vaccine creates “real access barriers.” “Even if you have insurance and can get an appointment (a considerable challenge in the U.S.), many doctors may hesitate to prescribe a medication ‘off label’ given the (often unfounded) recent rhetoric from HHS leaders,” he highlighted, referencing the vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., currently heading the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Kennedy, known for his anti-vaccine stance, has called for more research on COVID-19 vaccines. However, many health experts argue that further testing is unnecessary, considering the extensive evaluations conducted before their initial release and their ongoing efficacy. “The bottom line? Statistically (based on HHS’s own data) and practically untrue is the claim that ‘100% of those who want a COVID vaccine can receive one.’ Repeating this assertion reveals a lack of understanding, empathy, or honesty,” Adams concluded. Source link