Muristek
There continues to be a high level of COVID-19 transmission in the community. BA.5 continues to be the dominant strain on the southern West Coast, as well as in the rest of the nation.
Over the last seven days, the weekly average of reported PCR-confirmed cases has decreased by 2.3%. This is an underreporting of cases in Santa Barbara County given increased rapid antigen home testing that is often not reported to the Public Health Department.
COVID-19 community levels have remained at medium in Santa Barbara County according to CDC definitions.
This reflects new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people, new COVID-19-related hospital admissions per 100,000 and the percent of inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients.
Meanwhile, COVID-19-related hospitalizations have been steady, although ICU admissions have been increasing.
There have been four deaths reported over the last week.
– Katherine Zehnder
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