As of Dec. 18, San Benito County Public Health officials have reported 2,687 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the county. The local death count remains at 23, according to county officials.
The county’s Covid-19 dashboard shows that there are currently 486 active cases with 73 new cases as of Friday afternoon. There are nine people hospitalized in the county, which includes 2 in the intensive care unit.
There’s been 22,813 tested for the novel coronavirus locally. Of these, 20,018 have tested negative and 2,251 patients have recovered.
The data from the Public Health Services’ latest community newsletter shows that of the 2,687 positive cases of Covid-19, 87 patients are in the 0-4 age group; 685 are in the 5-24 age group; 1,189 are in the 25-49; 506 patients are in the 50-64 age group; and 219 are age 64 or older.
The newsletter also shows that San Benito County continues to be at the most restricted purple “widespread” risk level as of Dec. 18. The county, according to state data, had a case rate of 54.7 daily new cases per 100,000 residents and a test positivity rate of 13.9 percent from Nov. 29 to Dec. 5.
The “widespread” risk level factors is more than seven daily new cases per 100,000 residents, and a positivity rate of more than 8 percent.
The statewide data shows 63.9 daily new cases per 100,000 residents and a test positivity rate of 11.3 percent from Nov. 29 to Dec. 5.
At a minimum, counties must remain in a tier for at least three weeks before moving forward from the purple “widespread” tier to the red “substantial” tier after meeting the criteria of the less restrictive level for 14 consecutive days.
The limits for the “substantial” tier are no more than 4 to 7 daily new cases per 100,000 residents, and a positivity rate between 5 to 8 percent.
