San Mateo Co. COVID Transmission 'High And Increasing': Health Chief

SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA — Community transmission of COVID-19 in San Mateo County is “high and increasing,” according to the county’s health chief.

As of last week, the county is averaging 50 new cases per 100,000 residents over the last seven days for an average of 386 new cases per day. There were 39 COVID-19 patients in San Mateo County hospitals as of last Wednesday.

The county remains among the highest in the state for reported tests — it was reporting 679 tests per 100,000 residents a day as of last week.

The amount of COVID-19 transmission is categorized as “medium,” according to the Centers for Disease Control rubric. The test positivity rate is at 7.7 percent countywide and 8.5 percent in the Health Equity Quartile census tracts.

County health chief Louise Rogers urged residents to take precautions such as wearing masks indoors, keeping test kits on hand and staying up-to-date on vaccinations.

“Last week’s grim milestone of the United States surpassing one million deaths due to COVID-19 marks the enormous toll and loss that this virus has wrought and the need for all of us to stay caring and careful,” Rogers wrote in a message to the community on Monday. “We are grateful for the adaptability that is evident as the virus’s persistence and mutations require our continued attention.”

Click here to read Rogers' full letter.