The Los Angeles Post

COVID-19 Updates for December 22

by · Published · Updated

SACRAMENTO – Today, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released the most recent statistics on COVID-19 and updates on the state’s pandemic response. The most up to date data is available on the state’s COVID-19 data dashboard.

Statewide COVID-19 Data

Rates of cases, hospitalizations and deaths are highest among unvaccinated individuals and lowest among boosted individuals. This is true for all age groups. See additional data for unvaccinated and vaccinated cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Vaccinations

  • 86,729,967 total vaccines administered.
  • 72.5% of the population has been vaccinated with a primary series.
  • 46,258 people a day are receiving COVID-19 vaccination (average daily dose count over 7 days).

 

Cases

  • California has 10,834,839 confirmed cases to date.
  • Today’s average case count is 7,359 (average daily case count over 7 days).
  • During October 2022, unvaccinated people were 2.2 times more likely to get COVID-19 than people who were vaccinated with at least a primary series.

 

Testing

  • The testing positivity rate is 10.6% (average rate over 7 days).

Hospitalizations

  • There are 4,520 hospitalizations statewide.
  • There are 522 ICU patients statewide.
  • During October 2022, unvaccinated people were 2.4 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than people who were vaccinated with at least a primary series.

Deaths

  • There have been 97,428 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
  • COVID-19 claims the lives of 20 Californians each day (average daily death count over 7 days).
  • During October 2022, unvaccinated people were 3.1 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than people who were vaccinated with at least a primary series.

 

ICU Capacity Data

With winter respiratory viruses – including flu, COVID-19, and RSV – circulating across the state, it is critical to ensure that Californians have access to the care they need in our hospitals. When hospitalizations increase, the state’s hospitalization Public Health Order governs health care system protocols and surge capacity.

Hospitals must notify local public health officials and the Medical and Health Operational Area Coordinator (MHOAC) when experiencing certain conditions. If necessary, these conditions trigger the state’s regional surge orders to help ensure continuation and availability of care.

Regional ICU capacity data and more information on the state’s Public Health Order is available on CDPH’s Regional ICU Capacity webpage.

Monitoring COVID-19 in Wastewater

As outlined in the SMARTER plan, the state monitors COVID-19 outbreaks and trends to help determine response efforts. One way of doing this is collecting and analyzing wastewater samples for the virus that causes COVID-19, which helps determine virus spread within communities.

CDPH currently tracks wastewater in four main regions across the state. This week’s analysis shows a plateauing in the Bay Area, Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley regions. Concentrations in all regions are lower compared to the Omicron peak in January, 2022.

Wastewater data is just one part of the state’s disease surveillance system and must be considered along with other factors like test positivity (increasing) and hospitalizations (increasing), to better understand COVID-19 conditions. A map with additional data on the state’s Wastewater Surveillance Network is available here.

Slow the Spread: Get Vaccinated and Boosted for COVID-19

The risk for COVID-19 exposure and infection continues as a number of Californians remain unvaccinated and unboosted.

Real-world evidence continues to show that the vaccine prevents severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Public health officials urge Californians to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as they are eligible.

It is recommended that every individual six months of age and older receive their primary COVID-19 vaccine series and booster dose, if eligible.