As of Thursday morning, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nevada County had reached 4,742. There are 71 new cases since Thursday, May 6, indicating a 2% increase.

Of the 4,742 total cases, 4,544 have been released from isolation and 123 are presently active. Nevada County’s total death toll is 75, with no deaths in the last five weeks.

The county remains in the red tier.

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According to California’s Health and Human Services’ website, Nevada County administered 2,462 vaccine doses this week, bringing the total number of fully vaccinated people in the county up to 34,663 — or just over 34% of the county.

Although the county opened a new vaccine clinic at Sierra College’s Grass Valley Campus on May 4, the country vaccinated nearly 1,000 people less this week than the week before.

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In a meeting three weeks ago, county Public Health Officer Dr. Scott Kellermann said 750 immunizations a day, five days a week — 3,750 vaccines on a weekly basis — should keep the county on track to immunize a large segment of the population by the goal date of June 15.

Kellermann said even though the state plans to replace the tier system come June, “masking and physical distancing will still be encouraged.”

Placer County also is in the red tier.

As of Thursday morning, Placer County reported 22,665 COVID-19 cases, indicating a 1% rise in cases over the last seven days. The county’s COVID-19 dashboard indicates there were 279 new cases this week.

There were two deaths in Placer County this week, bringing the death toll to 292.

A mid-April press release issued by the county noted that the COVID-19 transmission rate may be three times what has been logged.

Placer County has distributed 15,729 doses this week of the three available vaccines in the United States. Over 11,000 of those doses completed the COVID-19 inoculation process, bringing the county’s grand total of fully vaccinated people to 136,055 — just over 34% of the county.

Over 40,600 people have received at least one dose of the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Rebecca O’Neil is a staff writer with the Sierra Sun and The Union, a sister publication of the Sun