San Diego County public health officials reported 114 new coronavirus cases and eight deaths on Wednesday as testing set a new daily record.
Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said the county received results from 4,802 tests in the past day, a record that comes very close to the official 5,200 daily goal. That’s the level at which new infections can be controlled once businesses fully reopen.
“We continue to see our testing numbers increase,” he said at a media briefing. “That is a testament to a lot of folks who are working very hard, and we appreciate their work.”
Since the first case in March, the county has received 115,837 test results, with 6,140 positive cases and 230 deaths.
The latest victims were aged from 61 to 99 and all had underlying conditions such as hypertension, diabetes or obesity.
Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county’s public health officer, said the public’s adherence to health orders prevented what could have been 12,000 to 15,000 local deaths from the virus.
“Had we not practiced physical distancing and respected the stay-at-home order — as a united community — many thousands more individuals, including our elderly, would have died from COVID-19,” she said.
Fletcher also announced that attendance at funerals is now permitted in the county, provided people wear face coverings and stand six feet apart.
