The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency is reporting a record-high number of new COVID-19 deaths. The 65 deaths reported today surpass the previous single-day record of 62 deaths reported on New Year’s Eve.
Health officials are attributing the spike in deaths to holiday gatherings.
“The majority of the COVID-19 deaths we are reporting today occurred in the past two weeks, which suggests that illness onset for the individuals who passed away coincided with the winter holidays, said Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., M.P.H. County public health officer. “While we anticipated that deaths would go up at the beginning of the year, it is tragic to see the devastating impact of the virus on our community.”
Wooten is pleading with the community to take the record deaths as a reminder that the virus is not over and that we must do all we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19. County health officials urge San Diegans to:
- Wash your hands
- Wear a mask
- Keep your distance from others and leave your household only for essential activities
- If you’re sick, get tested, and then stay home and isolate yourself
- Consider getting vaccinated once you are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Deaths:
- 65 new COVID-19 deaths were reported to the County on Jan. 19. The region’s total is now 2,174.
- 30 women and 35 men died between Dec. 19 and Jan. 18.
- Of the 65 new deaths reported, 30 people who passed away were 80 years or older, 12 people were in their 70s, 17 people were in their 60s, four people were in their 50s, one person was in their 40s and one person was in their 30s.
- 63 had underlying medical conditions and two had medical history pending.
