Merced County reports 4 new COVID-19 deaths, total cases near 3,000, as state reports record
Four additional Merced County residents have died after contracting the highly contagious novel coronavirus, the Merced County Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday.
Two of the most recently deceased were women and two were men. One was between age 50-64 and three were over age 65. Three of the individuals had underlying health conditions. The health status of one is still unknown, County Public Health reported.
Now at 26 known total fatalities since the pandemic began, local deaths tied to serious COVID-19 illness have increased by more than 10 in one week.
The county also reached a daily record Wednesday with the addition of 181 new coronavirus cases, topping the former July 6 all time high of 122 new infections by far. The influx raised Merced County’s total caseload to just short of the 3,000 threshold at 2,994.
Along with the record number of local cases came a rise in infections severe enough to require hospitalization. Active hospitalizations among Merced County residents reached the highest yet at 74.
Among those, 56 are hospitalized in facilities within the county.
The news of Merced County’s daily case record came in tandem with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement Wednesday that California saw its highest increase ever on Tuesday with 12,800 additional infections reported.
The new positive cases pushed California past New York as the state with the most total cases of COVID-19.
California’s positive test rate, meaning the percentage of all COVID-19 tests completed that come back positive, has averaged about 7.6% over the past week. The statewide percentage is inching toward the California Department of Public Health’s ideal positive test maximum of 8% for counties.
In Merced County, the rate rose to 16.7% Wednesday.
The ballooning number of positive tests means Merced County residents assumed to be actively sick, meaning their COVID-19 infections were confirmed positive within the last 14 days, has swelled as well. As of Wednesday, 1,282 infections are presumed active.
The active case count is an estimate, since County Public Health officials are no longer able to manage each individual case due to the rapid increase in infections.
The City of Merced reached 1,000 total positive cases Wednesday, meaning the city accounts for roughly a third of all known local infections.
Atwater claims the second most with 446 cases. Los Banos totals 345 and Livingston 315. All other affected communities tally less than 300 known infections each.
County Public Health officials continue to urge the public to wear a mask, wash hands, social distance by six feet or more and avoid gathering with non-household members.
Around the Valley
Stanislaus County reported 149 new cases Wednesday, raising the tally to 6,984. At 77 fatalities, four more residents died since Tuesday.
Tulare County added 483 positive cases on Wednesday for a total of 7,603 since the beginning of the pandemic. Zero new deaths were reported in the county that’s seen 168.
Merced County reported four more deaths on Wednesday, which brings the total to 26. The number of cases reached 2,994, which is 181 more than the previous day.
Madera County tallied 1,530 cases in its Wednesday report, an increase of 91 cases. Three more deaths pushed the total to 16.
Mariposa County made no changes to the 41 cases and sole death there.
This story was originally published July 22, 2020 at 5:43 PM.
