Coronavirus, Covid 19, Keeping Watch on Earth News, Solano County CA

Solano reports 4 new COVID-19 deaths as it moves to less restrictive red tier

By Roger Straw, Tuesday, March 9, 2021

COVID is still dangerous in Solano County – get vaccinated, stay safe! (See Solano vaccine and MyTurn.Ca.Gov or PlanYourVaccine.)

Tuesday, March 9: 21 new Solano cases overnight, 4 new deaths.  Since February 2020: 30,425 cases, over 930 hospitalized, 171 deaths.Compare previous report, Monday, March 8:Summary
[See Sources.  Daily archive of BenIndy Solano updates: Excel ARCHIVE. 
    • CASES – Solano County reported 21 new cases overnight, a total of 30,425 cases since the outbreak started.
    • DEATHS – the County reported 4 new deaths today, all over 65.  A total of 171 Solano residents have died with COVID since the pandemic began.  In January-February, Solano recorded 66 coronavirus deaths, fully 40% of Solano’s COVID deaths to date!  While many other COVID stats are improving, the recent surge in deaths is no doubt the final sad result of our holiday surge and the Super Bowl.
    • ACTIVE cases – Solano reported 19 fewer active cases today, a total of 171 active cases.  Compare: Solano’s average number of Active Cases last October was 284, average in November was 650, in December 1,658, in January 2,185, then in February down to 481 and TODAY we are at 171.  Much better – but note that’s still a bunch of contagious folks somewhere among us, 171 of them, hopefully quarantined and staying away from grandma and grandpa!
    • HOSPITALIZATIONS – Today, Solano reported 4 fewer currently hospitalized cases, total of 18.  However, the County reported 4 new hospitalizations among the age groups, a total of 934 hospitalized in all age groups since the pandemic began.  [For the numbers used in my manual calculation of total hospitalizations, see age group stats below.
    • ICU BEDS – Solano County did not report ICU beds available today: “Data not available due to system outage.”   In late January, Solano hospitals expanded their ICU capacity.  Even with the expanded ICU capacity, Solano County has continued to fall in and out of the YELLOW DANGER ZONE.  California’s COVID19-CA.GOV reports that Solano County had 18 available ICU beds yesterday, March 8.  (For COVID19-CA.GOV info see BenIndy page, COVID-19 Hospitalizations Daily Update for Solano County, and for REGIONAL data see COVID-19 ICU Bed Availability by REGION.)
    • VENTILATORS available – Solano County did not report on ventilators today: “Data not available due to system outage.”  Yesterday Solano hospitals had 72% of ventilators available, nowhere near last summer’s reports of 82-94% available.
Positive Test Rate and our Purple/Red Tier rating

Solano County did not report on positive test rate today: “Data not available due to system outage.”  Meanwhile, the County released the following announcement today:
Solano County returns to Red Tier (Tier 2) effective March 10, loosening restrictions for certain businesses activities
March 9, 2021  SOLANO COUNTY –– The State of California announced today that Solano County has moved from the most restrictive Purple Tier (Tier 1) to a less-restrictive Red Tier (Tier 2) of the State’s COVID-19 Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Effective Wednesday, March 10, more businesses and activities will be able to expand capacity or resume operations, including indoor services at restaurants, increased capacity at retail and shopping centers, youth sports activities and an opportunity for schools to reopen.  More…
The California 7-day average test rate was at 2.1% today, same as yesterday.  Recent news is that the state will lower the adjusted case rate standard to 7% soon, which would certainly clinch Solano’s movement to the red tier.

By Age Group
  • Youth 17 and under – 7 new cases overnight, total of 3,568 cases, representing 11.7% of the 30,425 total cases.  No new hospitalizations were reported today among this very young age group, total of 19 since the outbreak began.  Thankfully, no deaths have ever been reported in Solano County in this age group.  But cases among Solano youth rose steadily over the summer, from 5.6% of total cases on June 8 to 11% on August 31 and has remained at over 11% since September 30.  Youth are 22% of Solano’s general population, so this 11% may seem low.  The significance is this: youth are SERIOUSLY NOT IMMUNE (!) – in fact at least 19 of our youth have been hospitalized since the outbreak began.
  • Persons 18-49 years of age – 9 new cases overnight, total of 16,795 cases. This age group is 41% of the population in Solano, but represents 55.2% of the total cases, by far the highest percentage of all age groups.  The County reported no new hospitalizations among persons in this age group today.  A total of 258 are reported to have been hospitalized since the outbreak began.  Solano recorded no new deaths in this young group today, total of 10 deaths.  Some in this group are surely at high risk, as many are providing essential services among us, and some may be ignoring public health orders.  I expect this group is a major factor in the spread of the virus.
  • Persons 50-64 years of age – 4 new cases overnight, total of 6,341 cases.  This age group represents 20.8% of the 30,425 total cases.  A hospitalized and deceased member of this age group was moved to the 65+ age group today.  A new total of 248 are reported to have been hospitalized since the outbreak began.  Deaths reported in this age group now total 26.
  • Persons 65 years or older – only 1 new case overnight, total of 3,710, representing 12.2% of Solano’s 30,425 total cases.  4 new hospitalizations were reported among members of this age group today.  A total of 409 are reported to have been hospitalized since the outbreak began.  And 4 new deaths were reported among our elders in this age group, now totaling 135, accounting for 79% of Solano’s 171 COVID deaths.
City Data
  • Benicia added 2 new cases overnight, total of 861 cases since the outbreak began.
  • Dixon added 2 new cases overnight, total of 1,770 cases.
  • Fairfield added only 3 new cases overnight, total of 8,293 cases.
  • Rio Vista added 2 new cases overnight, total of 334 cases.
  • Suisun City added 2 new cases overnight, total of 2,056 cases.
  • Vacaville added only 3 new cases overnight, total of 7,979 cases.
  • Vallejo added only 7 new cases overnight, total of 9,039 cases.
  • Unincorporated areas remained steady today, total of 92 cases.
Race / Ethnicity

The County report on race / ethnicity includes case numbers, hospitalizations, deaths and Solano population statistics.  This information is discouragingly similar to national reports that indicate significantly worse outcomes among black and brown Americans.

  • Asian Americans are 14% of Solano’s population, and account for 14% of cases, 14% of hospitalizations, and 19% of deaths.
  • Black Americans are 14% of Solano’s population, and account for 12% of cases, but 17% of hospitalizations, and 20% of deaths.
  • Latinx Americans are 26% of Solano’s population, but account for 32% of cases and 30% of hospitalizations, and 18% of deaths.
  • Multi-race / Others are 7% of Solano’s population, but account for 13% of cases, 8% of hospitalizations, and 7% of deaths.
  • White Americans are 39% of the population in Solano County, but account for only 29% of cases, 30% of hospitalizations, and 37% of deaths.
More…

The County’s Coronavirus Dashboard is full of much more information, too extensive to cover here on a daily basis.  The Benicia Independent will continue to summarize daily and highlight significant portions.  For more, check out the Dashboard at https://doitgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=055f81e9fe154da5860257e3f2489d67.

Source
Source: Solano County Coronavirus Dashboard (posted on the County website late today).  ALSO see important daily updates from the state of California at COVID19.CA.GOV, embedded here on the BenIndy at Cases and Deaths AND Hospitalizations AND ICU Beds by REGION.