Merced County active cases down, known workplace outbreaks up. Foster Farms reports more cases
Amid the surge of coronavirus cases locally and statewide the last several weeks, new Merced County infections on Thursday tallied fewer than recent days.
The additional 53 positive COVID-19 cases confirmed come at a time when daily case counts in the 90-100 range are typical in Merced County. The new infections raise the area’s running total to 2,313 known cases since the pandemic began.
New daily infections have not dipped below 50 since July 5, due in part to increased testing capacity but also to increased transmission. The county’s positive case rate, meaning the percentage of individuals screened for COVID-19 who test positive, nearly doubled since June 24’s 6.16% to 11.48% Thursday.
For the first time in recent days, the number of infections presumed active fell from 1,159 Wednesday to 1,132 Thursday.
No additional fatalities were reported by the Merced County Department of Public Health. Three residents have died this week after contracting the virus, bringing the number of lives COVID-19 has claimed locally to 15.
Active hospitalizations also remained stable at 31.
Outbreaks up
A Wednesday update to the county’s list of coronavirus outbreaks showed an increase since last week in the number of places and cases associated with workplace or skilled nursing facility outbreaks.
A total of 14 outbreaks are active, up from nine one week ago, and eight are closed.
The recently reported coronavirus outbreak at the Foster Farms complex in Livingston rose from 13 known cases to 57, making it the largest known outbreak locally.
A previous outbreak was reported at a Foster Farms Turkey ranch May 30, leading to a total of six persons contracting COVID-19 from exposure at the facility. It is no longer active.
Other active outbreaks include:
1. A migrant living environment in Merced (12 cases)
2. Merced County Human Services Agency (11 cases)
3. New Bethany Residential Care (10 cases)
4. Emerald Textiles (nine cases)
5. ACTenviro in Merced (nine cases)
6. Creative Alternatives (eight cases)
7. Merced County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (six cases)
8. Castle Family Health in Winton (six cases)
9. Los Banos Unified School District (six cases)
10. Livingston Family Health Medical Pod (five cases)
12. Hy-Lond Health Care Merced (four cases)
13. Psychiatric Care Transitions (three cases)
The outbreak at Los Banos Unified School District is connected to the district’s offices, according to a County Public Health spokesperson.
Merced County uses the California Department of Public Health’s definition for an outbreak, which outlines an outbreak as three or more COVID-19 positive individuals working in the same facility with no linkage outside of the workplace.
Just one resident of a skilled nursing facility constitutes an outbreak due to the high-risk environment.
Facilities with outbreaks work closely with the Merced County Department of Public Health to control the spread of COVID-19. Close contacts possibly affected are contacted by the facility or employer.
County and state health officials ask that the public to practices simple preventative measures proven by science to deter COVID-19 transmission in absence of a vaccine.
Effective precautionary measures include wearing a face mask, washing hands, social distancing and avoiding large gatherings with other households. These precautions slow COVID-19 transmission through droplets expelled in the air from sick persons and asymptomatic carriers, according to health officials.
This story was originally published July 16, 2020 at 5:18 PM.
