Coronavirus update: Monterey County sees hundreds of new COVID cases amid California surge

Mike Stucka USA TODAY NETWORK
·3 min read

Monterey County reported 540 cases and two deaths in the latest week a 51.7% increase from the week before, amid a surge across California. A week earlier, the county had reported 356 cases and two deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 94,579 cases and 733 deaths

New coronavirus cases leaped in California in the week ending Sunday, rising 30.3% as 53,988 cases were reported. The previous week had 41,449 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.

California ranked 19th among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States increased 33.2% from the week before, with 501,037 cases reported.

COVID-19 cases rising across US states

With 11.87% of the country's population, California had 10.78% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, 43 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.

Within California, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Santa Cruz County with 305 cases per 100,000 per week; Humboldt County with 296; and San Francisco County with 293. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.

Adding the most new cases overall were Los Angeles County, with 16,205 cases; San Diego County, with 4,644 cases; and Santa Clara County, with 4,473. Weekly case counts rose in 49 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Los Angeles, Santa Clara and San Diego counties.

>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases

California ranked 15th among states in share of people receiving at least one shot, with 83.8% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. The national rate is 77.7%, a USA TODAY analysis of CDC data shows. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are the most used in the United States, require two doses administered a few weeks apart.

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In the week ending Wednesday, California reported administering another 415,833 vaccine doses, including 65,747 first doses. In the previous week, the state administered 463,250 vaccine doses, including 79,852 first doses. In all, California reported it has administered 75,237,247 total doses.

Across California, cases fell in seven counties, with the best declines in Sacramento County, with 1,613 cases from 2,497 a week earlier; in Tulare County, with 161 cases from 507; and in San Bernardino County, with 1,724 cases from 1,955.

In California, 168 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 315 people were reported dead.

A total of 9,288,293 people in California have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 90,497 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 81,863,725 people have tested positive and 997,526 people have died.

>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States

California's COVID-19 hospital admissions rising

USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, May 8.

Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:

  • Last week: 4,059

  • The week before that: 3,761

  • Four weeks ago: 3,531

Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:

  • Last week: 45,875

  • The week before that: 42,092

  • Four weeks ago: 37,354

Hospitals in 36 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 32 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 35 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.

The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: Monterey County COVID-19 cases up 51.7%; California sees new surge