A medical staff member treats a patient suffering from the coronavirus disease COVID-19 in the Intensive Care Unit at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
The number of people in San Diego County hospitalized with COVID-19 decreased by nine to 247, according to the latest state data released Saturday.
The number of those patients in intensive care declined by one to 23 and the number of available hospital beds decreased by 30 to 194.
With the school year beginning, the county’s latest numbers show 85.5% of children between the ages of 12 and 17 have received at least one dose of a vaccine, compared to 47.3% for children between 5 and 11 and just 9.1% for children six months to 4 years old.
Comparatively, 89.5% of San Diegans between 18 and 64 years old have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. The percentage is even higher for people over 65 years of age: 99.9%.
“Children should be vaccinated to protect themselves and those around them from COVID-19,” said Dr. Wilma Wooten, county public health officer. “While it’s true that the virus has not been as severe in children, they can still develop serious complications from COVID-19.”
More than 3.01 million — or 90.1% — of San Diegans age 6 months and older are at least partially vaccinated. More than 2.66 million — or 79.7% — are fully vaccinated. A total of 1,442,309 — or 58.9% — of 2,447,274 eligible San Diegans have received a booster.
The county Health and Human Services Agency reported 844 new infections and three additional deaths linked to the virus in its most recent data, increasing the county’s cumulative counts to 908,654 cases and 5,456 deaths since the pandemic began. A total of 4,744 cases were reported in the past week compared to 5,285 infections identified the previous week.
San Diego County’s case rate per 100,000 residents 12 years of age and older is 32.10 for people fully vaccinated and boosted, 22.32 for fully vaccinated people and 67.19 for not fully vaccinated San Diegans.
The HHSA updates data on Monday and Thursday nights.
— City News Service