State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts
SACRAMENTO ā The California Department of Public Health today announced the most recent statistics on COVID-19. California's positivity rate ā a
key indicator of community spread ā is
trending upward in the 14-day average. Hospitalization rates are also trending
upward in the 14-day average. California has
271,684* confirmed cases to date. Numbers may not represent true day-over-day
change as reporting of test results can be delayed, as reported below in the
case of Los Angeles County. There have been 4,793,353 tests conducted in
California. As testing capacity continues to increase across the state, an
increase in the number of positive cases has been expected ā increasing
the importance of positivity rates to find signs of community spread. There
have been 6,337 COVID-19
deaths since the start of the pandemic.
*Los Angeles County Data Processing
The
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health made improvements to its data
processing systems in recent days. As a result, case data from Los Angeles
County for July 3 and July 4 was delayed and is included in todayās case totals
as reflected in the chart above and the graph below:
Testing in California
As testing capacity continues to increase across the state, the California Department of Public Health is working to expand access to COVID-19 testing. Testing should be used for medical evaluation of persons with symptoms of COVID-19 as well as for efforts by public health agencies and essential employers to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19. Individuals prioritized for testing include:
- Hospitalized patients
- Symptomatic and asymptomatic healthcare workers, first responders, and other social service employees
- Symptomatic individuals age 65 and older or symptomatic individuals of any age with chronic medical conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID-19 illness
- Individuals who are tested as part of disease control efforts in high-risk settings
- Asymptomatic residents and employees of congregate living facilities when needed to prevent disease transmission
- Symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals in essential occupations such as grocery store and food supply workers, utility workers and public employees
- Other individuals with symptoms consistent with COVID-19
As of July 5, there have been 4,793,353 tests conducted in California and reported to the California Department of Public Health. This represents an increase of 113,215 tests over the prior 24-hour reporting period. These numbers include data from commercial, private and academic labs, including Quest, LabCorp, Kaiser, University of California and Stanford, and the 25 state and county health labs currently testing. The Department is now reporting all tests reported in California, rather than the total number of individuals tested.
Data and Tools
California
has collected a wide range of data to inform its response to COVID-19 and
developed tools to help process and analyze that data. The state is making
these data and tools open and available for researchers, scientists, and
technologists at covid19.ca.gov.
Racial Demographics ā A More Complete Picture
The
California Department of Public Health is committed to health equity and
collecting more detailed racial and ethnic data that will provide additional
understanding for determining future action. Health outcomes are affected by
forces including structural racism, poverty and the disproportionate prevalence
of underlying conditions such as asthma and heart disease among Latinos and
African American Californians. Only by looking at the full picture can we
understand how to ensure the best outcomes for all Californians.
The differences in health outcomes related to COVID-19 are most stark in
COVID-19 deaths. We have nearly complete data on race and ethnicity for
COVID-19 deaths, and we are seeing the following trends. Overall, for adults 18
and older, Latinos, African Americans and Native Hawaiians and Pacific
Islanders are dying at disproportionately higher levels. The proportion of
COVID-19 deaths in African Americans is more than one-and-a-half times their
population representation across all adult age categories. For Native Hawaiians
and Pacific Islanders, overall numbers are low, but the proportion of deaths
due to COVID-19 in that group exceeds their population representation. More
males are dying from COVID-19 than females, in line with national trends. More
information is available at COVID-19 Race and Ethnicity Data.
Health Care Worker Infection Rates
As
of July 5, local health departments have reported 16,175 confirmed positive
cases in health care workers and 94 deaths statewide.
Your Actions Save Lives
Every person has a role to play. Protecting yourself and your family comes down to common sense:
Staying home except for essential needs/activities following local and state public health guidelines when patronizing approved businesses. To the extent that such sectors are re-opened, Californians may leave their homes to work at, patronize, or otherwise engage with those businesses, establishments or activities.
Practicing social distancing.
Wearing a cloth face mask when out in public.
Washing hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
Covering a cough or sneeze with your sleeve, or disposable tissue. Wash your hands afterward.
Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
Staying away from work, school or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.
Answer the call if a contact tracer from the CA COVID Team or your local health department tries to connect. Contact tracers will connect you to free, confidential testing and other resources, if needed.
Following guidance from public health officials.
What to Do if You Think You're Sick
Call ahead: If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough or shortness of breath), call your health care provider before seeking medical care so that appropriate precautions can be taken. More than 100 community testing sites also offer free, confidential testing: Find a COVID-19 Testing Site.
For more information about what Californians can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) in California.
California continues to issue guidance on preparing and protecting California from COVID-19. Consolidated guidance is available on the California Department of Public Health's Guidance web page.