The Los Angeles Post

State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts

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ICU Capacity Drops Below 15 Percent in San Joaquin Valley and Southern California Regions, Triggering Regional Stay at Home Order

SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today announced the most recent statistics on COVID-19, including data on intensive care unit (ICU) capacity across the state. Based on current ICU data, two regions, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California, have dropped below 15% capacity. The Regional Stay at Home Order will take effect in those two regions at 11:59 p.m. Sunday and will remain in effect for at least three weeks. Regions will be eligible to exit from the order and return to the Blueprint for a Safer Economy on December 28 if ICU capacity projections for the following month are above or equal to 15%.

Below is the current available ICU capacity by region. See region map.

  • Bay Area: 21.7%
  • Greater Sacramento Region: 21.4%
  • Northern California: 24.1%
  • San Joaquin Valley: 8.6%
  • Southern California: 12.5%

Under the terms of the order, when ICU capacity drops below 15% in a region, a list of sectors must close by 11:59 p.m. the next day, including bars, breweries, distilleries, and wineries (except for production, manufacturing, and retail), hair salons and barbershops, and personal care services. In addition, a number of sectors in these regions, including restaurants, retail and shopping centers and hotels and lodging, will have additional modifications in addition to 100% masking and physical distancing.

Critical infrastructure, schools and non-urgent medical and dental care can remain open with appropriate infectious disease preventative measures.

Read the full Regional Stay at Home Order.

Statewide COVID-19 Data as of December 4:

  • California has 1,311,625 confirmed cases to date. Numbers may not represent true day-over-day change as reporting of test results can be delayed.

  • There were 25,068 newly recorded confirmed cases Friday. Numbers do not represent true day-over-day change as these results include cases from prior to yesterday.

  • The 7-day positivity rate is 9.7% and the 14-day positivity rate is 7.6%.

  • There have been 24,901,975 tests conducted in California. This represents an increase of 226,497 over the prior 24-hour reporting period.

  • As case numbers continue to rise in California, the total number of individuals who will have serious outcomes will also increase. There have been 19,791 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.