17,712 tests were reported to the County on Jan. 3, and the percentage of new laboratory-confirmed cases was 17%. People that have recently returned from travel, or who ignored recommendations and participated in holiday gatherings, are also urged to get tested. People at higher risk for COVID-19 who are with or without symptoms should be tested. People with any symptoms should get tested. Healthcare and essential workers should also get a test, as well as people who have had close contact to a positive case or live in communities that are being highly impacted.
The current intensive care unit (ICU) bed availability for the Southern California region remains 0.0%. The state updates that number daily and the order will last until the ICU availability meets or exceeds 15%. The Regional Stay Home Order remains in effect and prohibits gatherings of any size with people from other households.
Six new COVID-19 deaths were reported to the County on Jan. 3. The county’s cumulative total is now 1,598. As a comparison, flu deaths in San Diego County peaked in the 2017-18 season* at 343, a variance from an average of 81 for the other seasons from 2012-13 through 2019-20. For each of the last three weeks of December 2020, COVID-19 deaths surpassed that yearly average of flu deaths.
* Influenza season is calculating July 1 through the following June 30
In the past seven days (Dec. 28 through Jan. 3), 45 San Diego county community outbreaks were confirmed, well above the trigger of seven or more in seven days.
Today’s COVID-19 update from the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency includes data through Jan. 3, 2021.
