COVID-19 updates: Test positivity rates in four of six Central Valley counties top 10%

As debates over mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations and masking in schools continue, confirmed coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in Fresno County remain on the rise, fueled by the delta variant.

There were 418 newly reported cases in the county on Sunday, according to data from the California Department of Public Health. The total since the start of the pandemic is now 109,056.

The 7-day average of cases per 100,000 is up to 24.5, and the test positivity rate is up to 10.7%, an increase of 1.7% over the previous seven days and the highest it has been since the last week in January.

The number of COVID-19 patients in county hospitals also increased by 22 to 314, with 53 in intensive care units. There are only 10 ICU beds available in the county.

Dr. Rais Vohra, interim health officer for Fresno County, said on Tuesday that he was recommending the county follow COVID-19 protocols many hospitals have put into play, including a proof of vaccination or demanding weekly testing and asking every employee to wear a mask.

“This is really the best scenario or best strategy of how to keep people as safe as possible,” he said. “I would humbly submit these are cost effective and not invasive procedures to keep everyone safer.”

Kings County also is seeing a surge in coronavirus cases. The CDPH reported 116 new cases on Sunday with a 7-day average of 39.4 cases per 100,000. The test positivity rate is 10.5%, an increase of 3.1% over the previous seven days.

The test positivity rate also was greater than 10% in Mariposa and Merced counties.

In Mariposa County, where seven newly reported cases brought the total to 584, the test positivity rate is 10.5%, an increase of 1.2%. In Merced County, there were 123 new cases and the test positivity rate is 12.8%, an increase of 2.1%.

There also was one new coronavirus related death in Kings and Merced counties, the totals now 254 and 481 There were no new deaths in the Fresno County update, the total remaining at 1,753.

In Madera County, the test positivity rate was 7.2%, an increase of 0.6% from the previous seven days. In Tulare County, the test positivity rate was 8.0%, an increase of 1.2%.

This story was originally published August 15, 2021 at 11:10 AM.