Coronavirus cases are continuing their downward trend, officials say.

One hundred sixty-nine COVID-19 cases were recorded last week, bringing the total number of logged cases in the county to 15,829.

The recent surge peaked during the week ending Jan. 28, with 1,642 new cases recorded in Nevada County that week. The county has since followed a similar declining trajectory to the state. The following week’s case count was 707 new cases, and 494 cases the week after that.

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“Though dramatically lower than the peak of the recent surge, Nevada County’s number of confirmed cases per 100,000 (seven-day average) decreased to 23, but that still indicates widespread disease transmission and is more than two times the number that would place the county in the purple tier under the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy,” Public Health Director Jill Blake said.

Blake said the statewide confirmed case per 100,000 established by a seven-day average has decreased to 25.6.

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“While we continue to trend in the right direction, we ask the community to continue to take precautions to protect themselves and others until our case rate and positivity rate have declined even further,“ Blake said.

Blake said 77.1% of the county’s eligible population — 72,592 people — has had at least one dose of vaccine.

In addition, Blake said 33,144 boosters have been given to Nevada County residents, with 15,974 administered to those age 65 and over.

“Our gratitude goes out to those who are getting vaccinated and to providers who are vaccinating,” Blake said.

Blake said the vaccines are proven effective, adding that the state’s recent data shows that unvaccinated people are 5.4 times more likely to get COVID-19 than people who received their booster dose, 10.7 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than people who received their booster dose, and 16 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than people who received their booster dose.

Blake said the statewide lifting of the mask mandate did not affect funding to her department from the state or federal level.

“Our department’s funding is complex and realignment funds support our core services, including communicable disease control, immunizations, and health education,” Blake said. “We have used our allocated realignment funds — which are primarily generated from tax revenue — to respond to the pandemic.“

Blake said the department was also supported by federal dollars allocated through the state.

Rebecca O’Neil is a staff writer with The Union, a sister publication of the Sierra Sun. She can be reached at roneil@theunion.com