LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s Public Health officer reported on Monday a 12th COVID-19-related death in a county resident, and said the state also has held off on adding more local restrictions due to the virus caseload.
Dr. Gary Pace said that the latest COVID-19-related death occurred over the weekend.
“The person was over 65, and had been ill and hospitalized for a while,” he said.
Pace said this most recent death was not connected to an outbreak that has occurred at Lakeport Post Acute – which had led to several deaths – but he gave no other details about the case.
As of Monday evening, Lake County’s COVID-19 cases totaled 593, an increase of 12 since the last update on Friday, according to Lake County Public Health.
Of those 593 cases, 67 remain active and are under Public Health monitoring and 514 are recovered. Six currently are hospitalized.
In other COVID-19-related matters, Pace said that on Monday afternoon the county learned that the state will not move it into the purple tier, the most restrictive in its Blueprint for a Safer Economy, on Tuesday as had been expected.
“The formula used to determine tier placement for counties with populations less than 100,000 is being altered, and the new calculation will allow us to stay in the red tier, so no changes are required for local businesses or activities,” said Pace.
The state is expected to release more details on its new framework on Tuesday, Pace said.
However, based on information he’s received from the state so far, Pace said that in the new framework, if Lake County has less than an average of six new cases per day – or 42 in a week – it can stay in the red tier. For the week of Sept. 20 to 26, Pace said Lake County had 39 new cases.
He said Lake County’s new case rate peaked a few weeks ago, due in part to the nursing facility outbreak, and also due to some community spread. “The number of new cases has been decreasing since then, but precautions remain essential,” he said.
Pace said Lake County has consistently been near the line dividing the red and purple tiers for a few months now.
“COVID-19 is present in our communities, and Lake County residents must be careful. It is wildfire season, and evacuations requiring sheltering with other families increase the risk of spread,” he said.
He said people working in high-risk settings, first responders, staff in nursing homes, in-home care providers, teachers and childcare workers need to be especially careful when out in the community, adding they should definitely wear masks while at work.
“Small outbreaks can have big consequences,” Pace said. “Keeping businesses open, and maintaining local control, requires that we all continue to do our part.”
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12th COVID-19-related death reported in Lake County; state holds off on adding restrictions for county
- Elizabeth Larson
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