COVID numbers on the rise again, just as end of school year activities and vacations are planned

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It's been several weeks since we carried a daily, and then weekly, COVID-19 story. The state and county's rates had dropped, and there were no hospitalizations in El Dorado County and just a few hundred in the state.

The statewide daily case rate of COVID-19 is now 20.9 per 100,000 residents and 12 per 100,000 residents in El Dorado County, according to a Tuesday update from the California Department of Public Health. For El Dorado County this is a 24 percent increase since last week. Back on March 25, the case rate for El Dorado County was 2.7 per 100,000 residents.

The case rates in the San Francisco Bay Area are currently the highest in the state: San Francisco - 47 per 100,000, San Mateo - 40 per 100,000, Contra Costa County - 39 per 100,000, and Santa Cruz - 36 per 100,000. These are results from reports positive tests, and many at-home test results are not reported.

The increase of COVID-19 positive students on campus at South Tahoe High prompted a letter from Principal Justin Zunino to parents, reminding them to keep their children at home if exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. While not required the school recommends students and staff wear masks, wash hands frequently, social distance when possible, and avoid crowded indoor spaces.

As of Tuesday, there are six residents in the hospital, all in Placerville's Marshall Hospital, one of whom is in the ICU. The one patient in Barton this weekend has since been released. The state hospitalization rate has increased by 21 percent this week to 1,527 people.

Dr. Nancy Williams, public health officer for El Dorado County, said they have no plans to return to daily reporting as doing so had not much value for residents. The State of California dropped from daily reporting to twice a week.

"We feel comfortable that we can still follow trends well enough on this less frequent basis," said Dr. Williams.

Residents have the tools to keep themselves safe with vaccinations, guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), masking should they wish, and testing.

"We want people to be aware when risk seems to be increasing, as it has been of late, so at least have the opportunity to bump up their protections for themselves and their loved ones if they are so inclined," added Dr. Williams.

The following list shows the individual cases in areas of El Dorado County at the last weekly report on March 25, and as of today, May 17.

Pollock Pines, Camino, Kyburz - 1432 cases - 1460
El Dorado Hills - 6038 cases - 6222
Diamond Springs, El Dorado - 1301 cases - 1313
North County - 1390 cases - 1419
Greater Placerville - 4725 cases - 4815
Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue - 4753 cases - 4833
South County - 394 cases - 402
Lake Tahoe region - 6446 cases - 6556

There have been 12 more El Dorado County residents who have died of COVID-19 since that March 25 story.