COVID-19 cases continue spike as new year approaches

It may be a new week and nearly a new year, but the story remains much the same: coronavirus cases are still going up locally.

San Diego County public health officials on Sunday, Dec. 27, reported 3,132 new COVID-19 infections – the 27th consecutive day with more than 1,000 cases.

There were no new virus-related deaths reported, but Dec. 27 was, however, the 19th day with more than 2,000 new cases.

Another 50 people also were hospitalized, according to Dec. 27's data, and seven new patients were sent to intensive care units.

The weekly average case rate for the 92028 ZIP code – which also includes De Luz and Rainbow – was 57.4 cases per 100,000 for the most recent week available, Dec. 6 - Dec. 12. The rate had been 43.4 cases per 100,000 the previous week, and 20.7 cases per 100,000 the week before that, continuing a streak of spiking cases

There were 197 new positive coronavirus cases in 92028 between Dec. 6 - Dec. 12, even more than the increase of 149 cases the previous week.

Fallbrook specifically (not including the outlying areas that are part of the 92028 ZIP code) is faring even worse.

The county’s Fallbrook “jurisdiction” was reporting a case rate of 94.5 per 100,000 between Dec. 6 - Dec. 12, up from 71.1 per 100,000 between Nov. 29

- Dec. 5, according to county data.

The Fallbrook Regional Health District is planning several new coronavirus testing dates for January amid a surge in demand, FRHD Executive Director Rachel Mason told Village News – the district administered 184 new tests in September, 353 in October, 1,094 in November and 2,091 in December as of Dec. 23. Mason said the health district expects to have given nearly 3,000 tests by the end of the month.

FRHD’s testing events for January 2021 are as follows:

Jan. 1

9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Bonsall Community Center

31505 Old River Rd

Bonsall

Jan. 8

9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Fallbrook Union High School

400 S. Stage Coach Ln

Fallbrook

Jan. 15

9 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Vallecitos Elementary School

5211 Fifth St

Rainbow

Jan. 22

9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Fallbrook Union High School

400 S. Stage Coach

Fallbrook

Jan. 27

9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Bonsall Community Center

31505 Old River Rd

Bonsall

Jan. 30

9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Fallbrook Regional Health District Wellness Center

1636 E. Mission Rd

Fallbrook

In the wider county, cumulative cases increased to 145,779 on Dec. 27 with the new cases added that day. The county’s death toll remains at 1,402.

Ten new community outbreaks were confirmed on Dec. 26. There have been 60 confirmed outbreaks in the last seven days and 250 cases associated with those outbreaks.

A community setting outbreak is defined as three or more COVID-19 cases in a setting and in people of different households over the past 14 days.

Though county officials advised residents to avoid holiday gatherings, anyone who participated in a gathering was urged to get tested, as well as people who recently returned from travel, people with any symptoms and people at higher risk for COVID-19, whether or not they display symptoms.

In advising against holiday gatherings, San Diego County Supervisors Nathan Fletcher and Greg Cox pointed to a massive uptick in cases after Thanksgiving – including the region's highest daily total coming three weeks after the holiday with 3,611 cases reported Dec. 18.

“We cannot ignore the reality that we are in a bad place right now,” Cox said. “We're making a special plea to avoid large gatherings with those outside your immediate family. This one time, this one year.”

If people have already traveled, they should be extra cautious about spreading the virus, Cox said.

According to Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county's public health officer, 44.1% of the county's cumulative cases have been reported after Thanksgiving.

San Diego County is on pace to report another 600 deaths due to the virus before the end of January, she said.

“We don't want to see what happened after Thanksgiving happen again,” Wooten said. “We must continue to stay apart to get the spread of the virus under control. If we don't, cases, hospitalizations and deaths will continue to soar.”

The 11-county Southern California region is still reporting zero available ICU beds. Current stay-at-home orders took effect at 11:59 Dec. 6, and were originally set to end on Dec. 28, but are now likely to be extended into 2021.