COVID-19 CASES IN COUNTY RISE 82% IN ONE WEEK AS THOUSANDS OF UNVACCINATED RESIDENTS FALL ILL

Source: County Communications Office

July 21, 2021 (San Diego) -- The number of COVID-19 cases in San Diego has spiked  in the past week, prompting County health officials to urge residents to continue getting vaccinated. In the past seven days, 3,465 COVID-19 cases were reported in San Diego County. That’s 1,566 or 82% more cases than the previous seven-day period.

The rise in cases and hospitalizations is occurring primarily in San Diegans who are not vaccinated. These individuals are also being disproportionately impacted by the Alpha, Gamma and Delta COVID-19 variants of concern.

Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are also trending up. The daily total rose above 100 on July 6 and has remained above that threshold; hospitalizations are likely to rise higher due to the surge in cases.

“The best protection we have against COVID-19 is getting vaccinated,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “The vaccines are extremely effective at preventing serious illness from COVID-19. If you have not gotten immunized, do it now.”

There has also been a very slight increase in post-vaccination infections, meaning people got infected with COVID-19 even though they were fully vaccinated.

Wooten said that was expected and that breakthrough cases typically have mild symptoms.

“This does not mean the vaccine is not working. Quite the opposite, the vaccine is doing what it’s supposed to do: keep most people from being hospitalized, or worse, dying,” Wooten said.

Over 80% of San Diegans age 12 and up are at least partially vaccinated and 69.2% are now fully vaccinated.

One new death was reported between July 14 and July 20. The region’s total is 3,787. A man in this 60s and with underlying medical conditions died June 12.

The 14-day rolling percentage of positive cases among tests is 5.1%.

Community outbreaks were confirmed at 22 locations in the past seven days (July 14 through July 20): 10 in restaurant/bar settings, four in business settings, two in day camp settings, one in a campground setting, one in a restaurant setting, one in a construction setting, one in a government setting, one in a retail setting and one in a faith-based setting.