The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency reported 284 new coronavirus cases but no more deaths Sunday as the positive test rate continued to trend down.
Out of 9,097 test results received in the past day, 3.1% were positive and the 14-day rolling average ticked down 3.6% – the lowest in more than a month.
No new deaths were reported. There was one new community outbreak – this one in a grocery – for a total of 21 over the past week.
Public health officials are warily eyeing the weekly case rate calculated by the California Department of Public Health. Last Tuesday the rate was 7.9 per 100,000 population, up from 6.9 a week before. If the rate stays above 7.0 on Tuesday, then San Diego County goes back to Tier 1, the “purple” or widespread infection classification.
If that happens, the county would have to close indoor operations at restaurants, houses of worship and gyms, while limiting retail businesses to just 25% capacity.
Much of the increase in cases can be traced to an outbreak at San Diego State University, which now appears to be subsiding. Of the new cases reported Sunday, 49 were among SDSU students. As of 6 p.m. Saturday, SDSU had reported 819 confirmed cases and 32 probable cases, bringing the total number of cases to 851.
since the fall semester began on Aug. 24.
Since the first local case in March, there have been 982,559 tests performed in San Diego County, resulting in 44,577 cases and 760 deaths.
— Story updated at 3:31 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020.