Merced County total COVID-19 cases pass 9K. Outlook for reopening economy still improving
The total number of Merced County residents who have contracted the novel coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic surpassed 9,000 on Thursday.
An additional 26 laboratory confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported Thursday by the Merced County Department of Public Health. The new positives pushed the county’s total caseload to 9,019.
Although local cases have reached the higher thousands, Merced County’s outlook in terms of COVID-19 demographics is looking fairly positive.
For example, the active case tally fell again to 335 on Thursday.
Even though the active case count is an estimate, it is based on the number of new positive cases within the last two weeks. Its decline comes amid expanded COVID-19 testing in September at mobile sites throughout the county, in addition to the public and commercial testing locations already offered.
The consistent recent decline indicates a dwindling amount of new local cases.
Also reflective of this trend is the county’s lower positivity percentage, which shows the percent of individuals tested for COVID-19 during the last week whose results return positive. On Thursday, the data point fell to 3.7%.
Because of Merced County’s improving COVID-19 data points, local nonessential businesses may be permitted to reopen certain operations in less than two weeks. To do so, testing positivity must remain at 8% or lower and new daily cases per 100,000 residents must be no more than seven.
More on COVID-19 in Merced County
Other local COVID-19 data remained stable or improved on Thursday, including the death count. County Public Health reported no further COVID-19 deaths, leaving the number of pandemic-caused fatalities at 145.
Active hospitalizations of Merced County residents due to severe COVID-19 cases decreased by four patients. Of the 38 individuals currently hospitalized, nine are being cared for within the county. The majority are patients at outside facilities.
The number of residents ever hospitalized on account of COVID-19 remained at 690.
Active coronavirus outbreaks also decreased Thursday by one workplace facility. Hilmar Christian Children’s Center was removed from the list of current outbreaks, meaning no additional positive cases have been tied to the location for two weeks.
There are now 10 known active COVID-19 outbreaks in Merced County.
On Wednesday, the most severe COVID-19 outbreak in the county at the Livingston Foster Farms plant, which Public Health Officials have said is one of the worst outbreaks statewide, was finally removed from the list of active outbreaks.
Following the news of the outbreak being closed, it was reported by CBS News on Thursday that U.S. government officials allegedly tried to intimidate the Merced County Department of Public Health into keeping the plant open despite the outbreak.
Federal officials cited the Defense Production Act, which is part of President Donald Trump’s executive order to keep meat plants running during the pandemic, Merced County Director of Public Health Rebecca Nanyonjo-Kemp told CBS News.
This story was originally published October 1, 2020 at 5:19 PM.
