The number of patients in San Joaquin County hospitalized due to being ill with COVID-19 has increased 58 percent in a week.

There are 81 COVID-19 patients as of Monday at 12:25 p.m. That compares to 48 a week ago today. There were 57 hospitalized with the illness on Friday.

The number of deaths remains as it was on Friday at 48.

While the number of those ill enough with COVID-19 increased 42 percent going from 57 on Friday to 81 on Monday, those who are listed as being infected on the San Joaquin County Health Department’s website increased `55 percent going from 900 on Friday to 1,400. The number of those known to have COVID-19 and be infectious is likely smaller than that because since Thursday the county has listed the number of recovered COVID-19 patients at “1K” after consistently updating the recovery numbers on a daily basis since the dashboard was launched in April.

Even so the 81 hospitalized number is significant given up until several weeks ago the daily hospitalized number never topped 20.

The number of confirmed outbreaks new cases can be traced to was increased by six on Monday to 25. Of those, community spread now accounts for 56 percent of all outbreaks. Skilled nursing homes are the setting for 32 percent of outbreaks while being in the same household or congregate setting with a person with COVID-19 is responsible for the remaining 12 percent of outbreaks.

It is against the rise in hospitalizations in a number of counties that Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday again implored people to wear face masks in a number of indoor public locations as well as specific outdoor situation in a bid to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Under the state mandate, you should wear masks:

-- Inside or in line to enter indoor public spaces.

-- In hospitals, pharmacies, medical clinics or other healthcare offices.

-- While waiting for and riding public transportation, taxis or ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft. Drivers should also wear masks.

-- In work places that require interacting with the public, where food is prepared, packaged or delivered, or when sharing common spaces such as elevators and hallways.

-- In office settings where people cannot physically distance.

— While outside if it's not possible to stay six feet away from others.

The following people are exempt from wearing masks:

— Children age 2 and younger.

-- People with medical, mental health or developmental issues that prevent it.

-- People who are deaf or have hearing loss and those who communicate with them if seeing someone's mouth is essential.

-- Workers who would violate workplace safety rules by wearing one.

-- People eating and drinking at restaurants.

-- People swimming, walking, hiking, biking, running or doing other outdoor activity where they can stay 6 feet (1.8 meters) from others.

-- People in jails and prisons.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com