Nevada, Placer COVID-19 cases climb, as governor rolls back reopening in 19 other counties
BY THE NUMBERS
As of July 2
NEVADA COUNTY
Number of COVID-19 cases: 117
Number in western county: 36
Number in eastern county: 81
Number of active cases: 33
Number of recoveries: 83
Number of deaths: 1
Number tested: 7,070
PLACER COUNTY
Number of COVID-19 cases: 724
Number in East Placer: 53
Number in Mid-Placer: 89
Number in South Placer: 582
Number of recoveries: 469
Number of deaths: 11
Number tested: 24,136
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday shut down bars, wineries, museums, movie theaters and inside-restaurant dining across a wide swath of the state for three weeks.
Nevada and Placer counties are not among the 19 counties impacted by the governor’s order.
For the two-week period that ended last Monday, California’s confirmed coronavirus cases increased 45% to nearly 250,000 and hospitalizations increased 52% to 5,077. About 500 more patients were sick enough for intensive care treatment, bringing the state total of people hospitalized in ICUs to 1,528.
As of Thursday morning, Nevada County saw a 29% increase in cases over the past week, with a total of 117 cases reported. Eastern Nevada County has 81 cases, while 36 are in western county. One person has died in the county due to COVID-19.
There are 33 active cases, an increase of 20 in a week, though Nevada County’s coronavirus dashboard does not break down active cases by geographic region or report hospitalized cases.
A total of 7,070 tests have been conducted in Nevada County, which marks a 25% increase since June 25.
In Placer County, case numbers rose from 556 to 724, a 30% increase. Of those, 128 new cases were reported in south Placer County, which now has a total of 582 cases. Eastern Placer County saw 12 new cases in the past week, while 28 more were reported in Mid-Placer.
Eleven Placer County residents have died due to the coronavirus. Fourteen people are currently in the hospital, including four in intensive care units.
Total tests conducted in Placer County increased by 14.6% in the past week to 24,136.
As residents prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend, Nevada County officials reminded residents in a news release to follow best practices for reducing the spread of COVID-19, including washing hands regularly, practicing physical distancing of at least 6 feet, staying home if you’re feeling sick, wearing a face covering (required in public), disinfecting high-touch surfaces and practicing good hygiene.
Gatherings between people from different households are still not allowed under the statewide stay-at-home order.
Since June 1, the county has seen the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases nearly triple, from 42 at the beginning of the month to 116 on June 30.
“As we see the number of cases go up steadily in our community and statewide, we ask that everyone take these restrictions on gatherings seriously,” Director of Nevada County Public Health Jill Blake said in the release. “Our ability to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Nevada County relies on everyone doing their part and following current public health guidance.”
According to officials, most of the new cases in Nevada County come directly from informal gatherings between different households that are still not allowed.
“The county urges residents to do their part to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by not gathering with people outside their household this holiday weekend and following state and local public health guidance,” the release states.
AROUND THE STATE
According to the Associated Press, Newsom’s order affects Los Angeles and 18 other counties where nearly three-quarters of the state’s roughly 40 million people live. Most of Southern California is covered by the order but not San Diego, which is faring better.
Newsom imposed the nation’s first statewide stay-at-home order in March. It forced most businesses to close and prompted more than 6.7 million people to file for unemployment benefits.
For people planning gatherings of family and friends this Fourth of July weekend, Newsom urged them to reconsider. According to the Associated Press, in Los Angeles County, public health officials said many outbreaks were linked to parties and gatherings of family and friends. The county announced 35 new deaths and more than 2,000 new cases for the fourth day in a row. Nearly 2,000 people also were hospitalized — the largest number since early May.
Newsom’s order applies to 19 counties that have been on the state’s watch list for increasing coronavirus cases for at least three consecutive days. Besides, Los Angeles, they include: Contra Costa, Fresno, Glenn, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Merced, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Solano, Stanislaus, Tulare and Ventura.
Support Local Journalism
Support Local Journalism
Readers around Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and beyond make the Sierra Sun's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.
Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.
Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news.