Manteca Unified COVID-19 cases have increased to 258 confirmed cases as of Thursday.

That’s 73 cases higher than the record 185 cases confirmed a week earlier.

The number of faculty and support staff with COVID was at 84. It represents an increase of 12 since Jan. 13.

There are 164 students with COVID. Topping the list with 23 cases is Mossdale School followed by Lathrop High with 22.

507 test positive for

COVID in Manteca

Another 507 people tested positive for COVID Thursday and Friday Manteca to bring the total new cases for COVID to 1,645 in the past seven days.

Another 196 tested positive in Lathrop in the last two days to bring that community’s total to 88 in the past week. Ripon added 67 for a total of 273 since last Friday.

Tracy in the past two days has added 581 new cases to bring their seven-day total to 2,690. There have been no new South County deaths in the past week underscoring the current surge — the highest to date — is less deadly than two previous COVID surges.

Since the pandemic started in March 2020 Manteca has lost 183 people. Deaths in Lathrop are at 33 and in Ripon at 29. There have been 116 deaths in Tracy.

According to San Joaquin Public Health Officer Dr. Maggie Park while both COVID-19 case rates and hospitalizations from the virus are up, intensive care units are not being overwhelmed as they were during past surges with COVID patients

Residents are encouraged to check www.SJReady.org or MyTurn.ca.gov to find testing and vaccine locations. When preregistration is an option residents are encouraged to register before arriving at the testing/vaccine sites this may assist with lessening the wait times.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com