California’s COVID-19 numbers fluctuating to start 2023, as XBB variant poses concern
California’s coronavirus rates are fluctuating to begin the new year, with some figures improving and others spiking or stagnant as health officials continue to brace for the aftermath of winter holiday gatherings, while also monitoring another concerning COVID-19 subvariant rapidly becoming the dominant strain nationwide.
The California Department of Public Health in a weekly update Thursday reported the latest case rate at 15.5 per 100,000 residents, an 11% decline from one week earlier.
However, CDPH reported the statewide test positivity rate at 12.6%, up from 12% the previous week. California’s testing volume in recent days has reached its lowest point since May 2020, state health data show.
Positivity has continued a steady climb in recent weeks, after dipping to a lull of 10.3% on Dec. 18.
Hospitalizations with COVID-19 have remained mostly stable in California since early December, after having spiked during November. CDPH on Thursday reported 4,547 virus-positive patients in hospital beds, a negligible change from 4,561 a week earlier.
Recent Northern California wastewater readings have been a mixed bag. COVID-19 levels measured in wastewater have shown a rapid decline since Christmas in Sacramento, but have soared during the same period in nearby Davis, according to data tracked by the Stanford-based Sewer Coronavirus Alert Network research project.
At most Bay Area sites monitored by the Stanford research group, wastewater levels have plateaued since mid-December.
Sacramento school district waits on CDC for mask rules
Students at Sacramento City Unified School District will return from winter break next week, but the K-12 district was awaiting another weekly update from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that will determine whether indoor masking will be required.
Under district policy, a mask requirement will go into effect if Sacramento County is classified by the CDC in the “high” community level for COVID-19 danger. The county was placed into that category on Dec. 22, just before Sacramento City Unified adjourned for its winter break, only to return to the “medium” community level in last week’s update after its case numbers improved.
The CDC posts its weekly community level updates on Thursday afternoons. If Sacramento County remains in the medium level or improves to the low level, students will not be required to mask up. If the county is again downgraded to the high level, based on its case and hospitalization numbers, Sacramento City Unified would return to an indoor mask mandate next Monday.
The district has said it will notify families by Thursday evening of any changes to mask protocols.
Latest on the XBB.1.5 variant
The CDC, in a weekly update last Friday, reported substantial growth in the XBB.1.5 subvariant of omicron, which global health officials say could be the most transmissible strain of the virus detected to date, with properties that help it evade prior immune protection.
XBB.1.5 made up 41% of U.S. cases in last week’s update, nearly catching up to the combined 45% of the BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 variants. XBB.1.5 has nearly doubled each of the past two weeks, up from 22% of cases nationwide one week earlier and 10% two weeks earlier.
In the CDC region that includes California and other West Coast states, however, XBB.1.5 made up only 9% of cases in last week’s update and 4% the week before.
The variant gained a much earlier foothold in New England, where the CDC reported it at 75% of cases last week.
Sacramento-area numbers by county
Sacramento County’s latest case rate is 12.6 per 100,000 residents, state health officials said in Thursday’s update, down 19% from one week earlier.
Hospitals in Sacramento County were treating 216 patients Wednesday, state data updated Thursday showed, down from 220 one week earlier. The intensive care unit total remained at 23.
Placer County’s latest case rate is 10.1 per 100,000 residents, a 23% decrease from one week earlier.
Hospitals in Placer County were treating 113 virus patients Wednesday, up from 109 one week earlier. The ICU total increased to 10 from seven.
Yolo County’s latest case rate is 7.9 per 100,000 residents, a 28% decrease from one week earlier.
Hospitals in Yolo County were treating three virus patients Wednesday, down from nine a week earlier. The ICU total increased to two from zero.
El Dorado County’s latest case rate is 9.9 per 100,000 residents, a 16% decrease from one week earlier.
Hospitals in El Dorado County were treating eight virus patients Wednesday, up from four a week earlier. The ICU total increased to two from one.
Sutter County’s latest case rate is 15.3 per 100,000 residents, up 30% from last week, and Yuba County’s is 18.2 per 100,000, up 25%, state health officials reported Thursday.
The only hospital in Yuba County, which serves the Yuba-Sutter bicounty area, was treating 21 virus patients Wednesday, up from 15 a week earlier for its highest total since March. The ICU total increased to two from one.
This story was originally published January 5, 2023 at 12:45 PM with the headline "California’s COVID-19 numbers fluctuating to start 2023, as XBB variant poses concern."
