MONTEREY COUNTY — Nearly 4,000 new cases and 39 deaths related to Covid-19 have been reported in Monterey County since the beginning of the new year.
Just this week, an additional three deaths were added Friday, followed by nine on Thursday, four on Wednesday and a startling 20 on Tuesday, which was a three-day cumulative total due to changes with the state’s reporting system. Another three deaths were reported Jan. 1.
The recent spike in deaths brings the countywide total to 232 residents who have died from the virus since tracking began last March.
“Our thoughts are with the loved ones of all of the individuals,” said the Monterey County Health Department on its social media Friday. “… Please help #StopTheSurge. Stay home as much as possible, wear a mask when you are out, wash your hands and avoid gatherings. Your actions make a difference.”
Friday’s report also shows a total of 31,802 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Monterey County, an increase of 1,096 cases from the previous day’s total. Since Dec. 31, the county has reported 3,943 new cases of the virus.
There are currently 207 residents who are hospitalized in the county, 34 of whom are in the intensive care unit as of Friday. In addition, the total number of residents who have recovered is now 13,704, up 274 from yesterday’s report.
According to the state’s reporting system, last updated Jan. 7, Monterey County’s Covid-19 numbers have increased by 5,772 cases and 44 deaths in the past 14 days — up 23% and 23.8%, respectively, from the prior 14-day total.
On Thursday, Monterey County Health Department announced that its Public Health Laboratory has been screening for new variants of Covid-19, which recently emerged in the United Kingdom and have since been detected in the United States, including California.
However, county health officials confirmed there have been no detected cases of Covid-19 caused by a new variant in Monterey County to date.
“Monterey County Health Department will communicate with our local medical community and the public should one of the new variants be detected among Monterey County residents,” the county said.
