Covid-19, novel coronavirus 2019
Novel Coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) (CDC Image)

MONTEREY COUNTY — The number of residents who have tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Monterey County has increased to 108, according to the latest report from Monterey County Health Department.

As of April 14, 38 of the confirmed cases appear to have been acquired locally through community spread, while 46 are from person-to-person transmission, 14 are travel-related and 10 are currently under investigation.

Three residents have died from the respiratory disease, while 22 have since recovered in the county.

The majority of those infected with COVID-19 are from the Salinas area (61), with the others from the Peninsula and Big Sur area (24), South County (15) and North County (7), according to the most recent data.

Forty-four of the cases had no known pre-existing medical conditions, and currently there are 22 residents who have been hospitalized due to the virus.

Monterey County Health Department’s Public Health Laboratory has completed COVID-19 testing for 1,591 people as of April 14. Combined with test results received from other laboratories in the county, the total number of residents tested for the virus is 2,132.

In California, the latest numbers show a total of 24,424 positive cases of COVID-19 and 821 deaths statewide.

Monterey County and the entire state remain under stay-at-home orders until further notice, reminded Monterey County Health Department in a previous news release.

“The order serves to preserve health care capacity and protect the community from being exposed or infected with novel coronavirus, or COVID-19,” the department stated. “Maintaining at least a 6-foot distance from each other is the most critical strategy for decreasing transmission and spread of COVID-19. Remember, we currently have no treatments or vaccine against this virus. While many have responded well to physical distancing orders, as a community we are not doing enough.”

“Without strictly following physical distancing, we know for certain COVID-19 will continue to spread exponentially for weeks and months,” the department continued. “… These are challenging and unprecedented times requiring unprecedented action from all of us in order to slow down transmission of COVID-19 and ‘flatten the curve.’”

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Ryan Cronk is the managing editor for King City Rustler and Salinas Valley Tribune, a unified publication of Greenfield News, Soledad Bee and Gonzales Tribune. He covers general news for South Monterey County and the surrounding communities.

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