Merced County has gone more than a week without reporting a death from COVID-19
.JPG "People line up to receive a COVID-19 vaccine outside of vaccination clinic inside the Cesar E. Chavez Middle School gymnasium in Planada, Calif., on Thursday, March 4, 2021.")
Merced County has gone 12 days without a resident dying from COVID-19 — one of the longest stretches the county has gone without fatalities attributed to the novel coronavirus, according to County Public Health data.
The county’s last COVID-19 death was recorded April 21, bringing the county’s total recorded deaths to 454 since the start of the pandemic last March.
Public health officials recently estimated roughly a quarter of Merced County residents have been fully vaccinated thus far — with a higher percentage waiting on a second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
Still, the county still has much work ahead with vaccinations, in terms of achieving “herd immunity” — the percentage of the population immune to an infection so that it no longer spreads.
Estimates for herd immunity generally range to between 70 and 90% vaccinated.
Plus, county health officials recently said they are making efforts to overcome “vaccine hesitancy” among some Merced County residents.
Statewide, about 38% of residents are vaccinated. The Valley is ranging from 28-31%, said Merced County Health Officer Dr. Salvador Sandoval, meaning that while Merced County has caught up, it is still occupying the lower end of the spectrum.
New infections continue
A total of 63 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Merced County since Friday, with 21 cases recorded Saturday, 18 recorded on Sunday and 24 recorded on Monday, according to the health department.
In total, 31,657 residents have been infected with the virus since the start of the pandemic. A total of 390 people are estimated to be currently infected – eight fewer than reported by the county on Friday.
There are currently 10 people hospitalized throughout the county due to the virus, three less than reported on Friday.
Merced County’s positivity rate currently stands at 3.30%, meaning the level of people among those who’ve been tested who had a positive result.
According to the state, Merced County hospitals had three people in the ICU, with 10 ICU beds remaining as of Sunday.
Merced County remained in the red Tier 2 on Monday, the second-most restrictive level of California’s color-coded program for reopening businesses, along with broad measures aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19
Updated statewide figures show there have been 3,643,992 confirmed cases recorded in California and 60,763 deaths.
This story was originally published May 3, 2021 at 6:10 PM.