The recent surge in coronavirus infections continued Monday with San Diego County public health officials reporting a record 498 new cases but no deaths.
The latest record follows an upward trend that saw 497 cases reported Sunday, 436 on Saturday, 440 on Friday, 335 on Thursday and 332 on Wednesday.
Out of the 6,908 tests received by the county in the past day, 7.2% were positive, bumping the rolling 14-day average of positive tests up to 4.1%. Weeks ago, as the county began re-opening, the average of daily positive tests was in the 3% range.
Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county’s public health officer, said a rising number of infections involve people in their 20s, with the 20-to-29 age group constituting 22% of current cases.
“Over the past few weeks we have seen a marked increase in people interacting and gathering in large numbers with individuals outside of their households, and that’s why we are seeing the increased number of cases,” Wooten said at a media briefing.
“We recognize that many people are losing fear of the virus, and we are getting numerous reports of people not wearing facial coverings,” she added.
But Wooten warned that “the pandemic is not over; the virus is still pervasive in our communities.”
Since the first local case in March, the county has received 335,250 tests, resulting in 13,832 cases and 361 deaths.
Across California there have been 215,581 cases and 5,935 deaths from COVID-19.
