The Los Angeles Post

State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts

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SACRAMENTO – Today, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released the most recent statistics on COVID-19, including data on intensive care unit (ICU) capacity across the state.

Projected ICU capacity remains below 15% in the Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California regions which remain under the Regional Stay at Home Order. The order will be lifted for a region once its four-week ICU projection shows a capacity of greater than or equal to 15%. Re-entry framework for a region that has recently exited the Regional Stay at Home Order is being finalized.

 

Current Status of Regional Stay at Home Order in Affected Regions

  • San Joaquin Valley: Remains under order; four-week ICU capacity projections do not meet criteria to exit order.
  • Southern California: Remains under order; four-week ICU capacity projections do not meet criteria to exit order.
  • Bay Area: Remains under order; four-week ICU capacity projections do not meet criteria to exit order.

The ICU capacity projections are based on four factors: current estimated regional ICU capacity available, measure of current community transmission, current regional case rates and the proportion of ICU cases being admitted. Decreasing community transmission and increasing the health system capacity can help a region’s projected ICU capacity so they can exit the order.

Counties within the Greater Sacramento and Northern California regions are under the tiering system and rules of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Read the full Regional Stay Home Order, Supplement to the Order, and frequently asked questions.

Due to high rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations impacting the health care system, California is also under a Limited Stay at Home Order. The order applies to all counties that are currently under the Regional Stay at Home Order and those in Tier One (Purple) of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The Limited Stay at Home Order will expire after the Regional Stay At Home Order has been terminated in all regions of the state.

 

Hospital Surge Order

CDPH updated the Hospital Surge Public Health Order to clarify when hospitals must make notifications to state and local authorities on January 15. The update included technical updates and updates on when specific terms of the order take effect. The updated order continues to require some non-essential and non-life-threatening surgeries to be delayed in counties with 10% or less of ICU capacity under the Regional Stay at Home Order where the regional ICU capacity is at 0%. Examples of procedures that may be delayed include carpal tunnel release and non-urgent spine surgeries. Surgeries for patients who have serious and urgent medical conditions will continue. Examples of procedures that will continue include serious cancer removal and necessary heart surgeries.

The order requires hospitals statewide to accept patient transfers from facilities that have implemented contingency or crisis care guidelines as long as those transfers can be done capably and safely. On December 28, 2020 CDPH provided guidance to health care facilities on implementing the Crisis Care Continuum Guidelines issued in June 2020.

Counties Currently Impacted by the Hospital Surge Order:

San Joaquin Valley: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Benito, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare.

Southern California: Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura

Statewide COVID-19 Data as of Today

  • California has 3,109,151 confirmed cases to date. Numbers may not represent true day-over-day change as reporting of test results can be delayed.

  • There were 24,111 newly recorded confirmed cases Saturday.

  • The 7-day positivity rate is 8.1% and the 14-day positivity rate is 9.8%.

  • There have been 40,285,715 tests conducted in California. This represents an increase of 315,596 during 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 36,790 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic. Numbers may not represent true day-over-day change as reporting of test results can be delayed.

  • As of January 23, providers have reported administering a total of 2,191,111 vaccine doses statewide. Numbers do not represent true day-to-day change as reporting may be delayed. As of January 23, a total of 4,135,625 vaccine doses, which includes the first and second dose, have been shipped to local health departments and health care systems that have facilities in multiple counties.