State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health today announced the most recent statistics on COVID-19. California’s positivity rate – a key indicator of community spread – is trending modestly upward in the 14-day average. Hospitalization rates over the long-term are showing a slight uptick in the 14-day average. California has 183,073 confirmed cases to date. Numbers may not represent true day-over-day change as reporting of test results can be delayed. There have been 3,496,929 tests conducted in California. As testing capacity continues to increase across the state, an increase in the number of positive cases has been expected – increasing the importance of positivity rates to find signs of community spread. There have been 5,580 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

“This is far from over. Increased testing will continue to detect more cases, but this only serves as evidence that COVID-19 is in our communities. As we move more, we are at greater risk. Continued increases in COVID-19 cases are expected and likewise, hospitalizations are starting to increase,” said Dr. Sonia Angell, State Public Health Officer and Director of the California Department of Public Health. “The safest place for all of us is at home, and when we go out for essential needs or services, we must wear face coverings and keep physical distance from others because that’s what helps us protect one another. Our ability to move forward as a state depends upon it.”