San Diego County Reports 1,032 New COVID-19 Cases, Seven Deaths

San Diego CA

17 December, 2021

8:34 PM

Description

By Elizabeth Ireland, Times of San Diego December 17, 2021 San Diego County public health officials reported 1,032 new COVID-19 infections and seven additional deaths associated with the virus Friday, increasing the region's cumulative totals to 397,374 cases and 4,406 deaths since the pandemic began. The number of coronavirus patients in San Diego County hospitals increased by eight to 367, according to Friday's data. Of those patients, 99 were in intensive care, seven more than Thursday. A total of 25,224 new tests were reported to the county on Friday. A total of 4.3% of all tests returned positive over the past week. In light of a statewide increase in cases and hospitalizations, and the spread of the Omicron variant, the California Department of Public Health implemented a renewed mask mandate Wednesday. It will remain in place until Jan. 15. Among the indoor public spaces affected by the mask mandate are retail stores, restaurants, theaters, family entertainment centers and government offices that serve the public. According to a University of Hong Kong study released Wednesday, Omicron infects people around 70 times faster than the currently dominant Delta variant and the original COVID-19 strain, though the severity of illness is likely to be much lower. As of Wednesday, more than 5.89 million doses of the three vaccines now available have been administered throughout the San Diego County region. More than 2.72 million county residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, around 86.5% of all eligible residents. More than 2.42 million San Diegans, or 76.9% of eligible residents, are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In addition, 601,951 booster shots have been administered in the region. A list of vaccination locations and more information is available at coronavirus-sd.com/vaccine. City News Service contributed to this article. Times of San Diego is an independent online news site covering the San Diego metropolitan area. Our journalists report on politics, crime, business, sports, education, arts, the military and everyday life in San Diego. No subscription is required, and you can sign up for a free daily newsletter with a summary of the latest news.