Eight more people have died from COVID-19 in the past two weeks even as case rates continue to decline.
Since Sep. 28 three more people have died in both the cities of Manteca and Lathrop as well as two people in Ripon.
There have now been 141 deaths in Manteca since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. The death county in Ripon is at 29 and in Lathrop at 28. Countywide 1,702 people have died from COVID with just over half of those — 863 — in Stockton.
Just over 1 in 20 deaths recorded in San Joaquin County since the start of September have been among the ranks of the fully vaccinated.
There are now 117 people throughout the county hospitalized with COVID of which 41 are in ICU. There are 38 people on ventilators.
In the past week there have been 27 new cases in Manteca, 7 in Lathrop and 4 in Ripon. Countywide the number of new cases was 200. That means 97,412 are almost 1 in 8 county residents have tested positive for COVID since the start of the pandemic although not all showed any symptoms or became ill.
Manteca Unified as of the end of last week reported 41 students and 6 staff members out of a combined enrollment and workforce of over 26,000 people are currently positive for COVID. That’s up slightly from the previous week when 48 students and 3 students tested positive.
As of Wednesday 73.5 percent of Manteca residents in the targeted age classes have been fully vaccinated. Another 8.9 percent are partially vaccinated. Those numbers for Lathrop are 85.9 percent and 9.6 percent. The Ripon numbers are 66.1 percent and 7.4 percent. The peak was five weeks ago when a combined 76 students and staff tested positive.
Countywide 58.8 percent of the targeted population is fully vaccinated with 8.5 percent partially vaccinated.
California overall is at 59 percent fully vaccinated and another 13 percent partially vaccinated.
Nationally 58.6 are fully vaccinated and 8.9 percent partially vaccinated.
San Joaquin County Director of Health Care Services Greg Diederich told the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors Tueday that COVID-19 case rates and hospitalizations continue to show promising declines throughout the County.
Diederich noted there are now at 16.1 cases per 100,000 which is down from 26.7 cases two weeks ago and down from 50.7 during the height of surge on Aug. 21. He said while this is good news, the target rate should be at least under 10 cases per 100,000.
Diederich added testing continues at a relatively high rate and will soon surpass 1.5 million tests administered to County residents. He said that even though the County’s positivity rate continues to fall at 4.5 percent, it is still more than twice the state average of 2.2 percent. He said that many testing and vaccination events are being held in partnership with County clinics with walk-in events that do not require pre-registration.
There are an additional 16 fixed testing sites with 10 sites offering rapid antigen tests. He said that starting today, the County is unveiling five additional testing sites in partnership with Fulgent Labs and several school districts including a launch today with Escalon High School and in the coming weeks with Jefferson, Banta, Lincoln and Ripon Unified School Districts.
Diederich also said the County continues to make persistent and incremental progress on COVID-19 vaccinations where the average daily statewide vaccine rate increased from about 70,000 per day to 90,000 per day upon recent approval of booster vaccinations. He said no mass vaccination booster events are currently being planned in San Joaquin County at this time.
Diederich informed the Board that the Governor directed the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to add COVID-19 vaccines to other vaccinations required for in-person school attendance such as measles, mumps and rubella. Requirements would be established by regulation not legislation and would be subject to exemptions for both medical reasons and personal beliefs.
*Students will be required to be vaccinated for in-person learning starting the term 6 months following full FDA approval of vaccines for the students’ grade span (e.g.: grades 7-12 or K-6).
*COVID-19 vaccination requirements will apply to all pupils of public or private elementary or secondary school and will be a condition of in-person attendance.
*Adults be held to the same standard as students and while California currently requires all K-12 staff to verify their vaccine status or be tested weekly, all school staff will be required to be vaccinated for COVID-19 no later than the requirements that take effect for students.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
