Coronavirus update, Dec. 29: Stanislaus deaths reach 586. Area ICUs are near capacity
Latest facts on COVID-19 in Modesto area
The overall number of COVID-19 patients declined Monday in Stanislaus County hospitals, but intensive-care units were near capacity.
The county’s five hospitals had 333 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Monday, down from 348 on Sunday. That is about 100 more than the peak of the summer surge.
There were just two remaining staffed adult ICU beds available, down from six the day before.
By comparison, San Joaquin County reported Monday that it’s operating at 145% of licensed ICU bed capacity with 58% of them being COVID-positive patients.
Meanwhile, eight more residents have died in Stanislaus County, for a total of 586 since the first in April, the county Health Services Agency said. The 158 COVID-related deaths in December surpasses the single-month high since the start of the pandemic. In August, 152 people succumbed.
A stay-at-home order started Dec. 6 because of tight ICU space for adults in Stanislaus and 11 other counties in the San Joaquin Valley Region. It was triggered when available beds fell below 15% of the total. Monday was the 11th straight day at zero.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday the stay-at-home order, which was expected to expire Monday, will most likely be extended on Tuesday for an undetermined amount of time.
The county reported 475 new cases Monday, bringing the total to 33,623. Stanislaus also has 298,936 negative test results and 28,826 people who are presumed recovered from the virus.
The 14-day positive rate was at 15.79% and the seven-day rate at 14.78%.
Here is information on the Stanislaus County dashboard regarding vaccination.
The demographic breakdowns of the positive tests in Stanislaus County as of Monday:
- 54% are female
- 46% male
- 8% are 14 years or younger
- 16% are ages 15 to 24
- 20% are 25 to 34,
- 18% are 35 to 44,
- 15% are 45 to 54
- 12% are 55 to 64
- 6% are 65 to 74
- 3% are 75 to 84
- 2% are 85 or older.
- Though they make up 47 percent of the population, Latinos represented 64 percent of the positive cases.
Geographically:
- Modesto has 12,075 positive cases
- Turlock has 4,595
- Ceres has 3,602
- Patterson has 1,652
- Riverbank has 1,510
- Oakdale has 1,004
- Newman has 733
- Waterford has 381
- Hughson has 321
- Supervisorial District 3 has 1,729
- District 5 has 1,651
- District 2 has 1,408
- District 1 has 753
- District 4 has 225
- San Joaquin County has 625 COVID-19-related deaths among 43,930 cases.
- Merced County has 248 deaths among 18,843 cases.
- Tuolumne County has 2,827 cases and 21 deaths.
- Mariposa County has 223 cases and four deaths.
As of Tuesday morning, there were 2,199,594 confirmed cases in California and 24,546 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. There were 19,312,568 U.S. cases and 335,051 deaths.
Modesto bus drivers, staff contract COVID-19
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Stay-home order will likely remain
The state will likely announce an extension of the stay-at-home order for Stanislaus County on Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to strain San Joaquin Valley hospitals.
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DMC nurses picket over patient ratios
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Restaurants vary on complying with order
When Cheng Her and his business partner, Nicholas Vang, bought Modesto Sukiyaki almost a year ago, they expected challenges because they were new to the restaurant industry. But they did not expect a pandemic that has been a public health and economic disaster.
Hear Bee’s health reporter, editor on vaccines
Modesto Bee editor Brian Clark and health reporter Dr. ChrisAnna Mink conducted an online Q&A about COVID-19 vaccines on Monday.
Free money part of the RAD Card program
Everyone could use a little free money this time of year. And now the RAD Card is going to give Stanislaus County residents even more just in time for the holidays.
From around the state, nation and world
The U.S. House of Representatives voted Monday to pass a bill increasing stimulus checks to $2,000 after President Donald Trump urged lawmakers to provide Americans with more direct assistance.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidance on COVID-19 vaccinations for people who have pre-existing conditions.
For some, face masks make it hard to communicate with others by muffling speech and covering visual cues, especially for those with hearing loss.
This story was originally published December 29, 2020 at 5:26 AM.
