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Davis, California

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Six new COVID-19 deaths reported in Yolo County

Infection rate and testing rate in Yolo County spiking due to the Delta variant 

On Aug. 12, Yolo County reported six new COVID-19 deaths. This increase in deaths is accompanied by a rise in case rate.  

    Yolo County Public Information Officer Frank Schneegas said that not all the deaths occured recently.  

“[…] We recorded six new deaths, and one of those deaths was from April,” Schneegas said. “The other five occurred between the 26th of July and the third of August.”

Schneegas noted that people who have been vaccinated can also contract COVID-19.  

“Yes, vaccinated people can get COVID-19 and yes, vaccinated people in Yolo County have gotten COVID-19, but I think it’s almost a bit of a statistical trick almost, as the proportion of vaccinated people increase, the number of vaccinated people who get COVID-19 will also increase,” Schneegas said. “This was always going to happen because no vaccine is 100% effective, but they are still very effective, though that doesn’t mean no one will contract COVID-19.”

Schneegas said that the vaccine still provides protective benefits.  

“​​The people who are dying from COVID-19 and who are being hospitalized from COVID-19 are overwhelmingly unvaccinated,” Schneegas said.  

Yolo County’s COVID-19 dashboard does not currently display the number of vaccinated people who have contracted COVID-19. Schneegas explained that the county has sought that information but has not yet received it.  

According to UC Davis Health Director of Business Development Tod Stoltz, Healthy Davis Together has collected some statistical information regarding the number of COVID-19 cases who have been vaccinated.  

“We don’t necessarily know the vaccine status of everybody that is coming in to test, but when we call our positive cases to notify them that they’re positive, we ask if they’re vaccinated, and about 25 to 30% say yes,” Stoltz said. “About 25% of those who are testing positive are vaccinated. That’s higher than I think we expected. It’s not outrageous compared to what we’ve seen or read about around the world about the Delta variant having breakthrough infections.”

Healthy Davis Together also collects information on COVID-19 variants, Stoltz explained.  

“Everybody who tests positive, we immediately genotype to see which variant they are,” Stoltz said. “We’re pretty much all Delta all the time. Delta variant has absolutely taken over in Davis.”  

The number of tests administered by Healthy Davis Together has also been on the rise, fueled by people returning from vacation, according to Stoltz.  

“I think a lot of people are starting to use our testing to help create a sense of peace of mind after perhaps a risky event or risky activity,” Stoltz said.    

Written by: Rachel Shey — city@theaggie.org

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