San Diego County public health officials reported 132 new cases of coronavirus and eight more deaths Friday as testing set another record.
The number of daily tests set a record for the second day in a row at 4,055. They county has established a goal of 5,200 tests a day to ensure the virus is under control once most businesses reopen.
“We will have days that are up and days that are down, but our trajectory is in the right direction,” said Supervisor Nathan Fletcher at the daily media briefing.
He said the county is concerned that testing may not be available to some underserved populations, and has prevailed upon the state to open a walk-up testing center at the Tubman-Chavez Community Center in Southeast San Diego on Tuesday.
Since the first local case in March, the county has conducted 96,150 tests, with 5,523 confirmed cases and 208 deaths.
Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county’s public health officer, said that with all metrics trending in the right direction, the county is moving to a “new normal.”
She said limiting the spread of coronavirus as the county reopens will require residents to maintain the practices learned during the stay-at-home order, including good hygiene, social distancing, use of facial coversings, and routine temperature screening.
“The fact that the number of COVID-19 deaths is not higher is a testament to the power of the community…when we work together,” said Wooten.
