#wearamask, Benicia CA, Community transmission rate, Coronavirus, Covid 19, Hospitalizations, Solano County CA, Solano County Health Department, Vaccine

Solano COVID numbers ticking up, Benicia back in CDC’s SUBSTANTIAL transmission rate

NOTE: The information below is not the latest.  TAP HERE for today’s latest information.

By Roger Straw, Monday, April 11, 2022

Solano County reports 124 new COVID infections, case count ticking up.

Solano Public Health COVID dashboard, Monday, April 11:

DEATHS:  Solano reported no new COVID-related deaths in today’s report.  No deaths reported so far in April.  COMPARE: 15 COVID deaths were reported in February, 17 in March.  A total of 413 Solano residents have now died of COVID or COVID-related causes over the course of the pandemic.

TRANSMISSION RATE: With today’s report, Solano remained just barely in the desired MODERATE transmission rate, with 211 new cases in the last 7 days, up from 155 last Thursday.  CDC FORMULA: Based on Solano County’s population, 450 or more cases in 7 days places Solano in the CDC’s population-based definition of a HIGH transmission rate.  Below 225 cases in 7 days shows MODERATE community transmission.  Numbers between 225 and 450 are considered SUBSTANTIAL transmission.

ACTIVE CASES: Solano reported 244 ACTIVE cases today, up from 220 at last report.

CASES BY CITY – Monday, April 11 2022:

“Rate” column shows the rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population by city of residence.
  • BENICIA added 10 new cases today, total of 3,155 cases since the outbreak began.  TRANSMISSION RATE: Benicia’s 7-day case count is 17 as of today’s report, jumping back into the CDC’s SUBSTANTIAL range.  Benicia has bounced between MODERATE and SUBSTANTIAL range since mid-March.  For a city with Benicia’s population, anything over 27 cases in 7 days is considered HIGH TRANSMISSION.  14 to 27 cases is considered SUBSTANTIAL.  Below 14 is rated MODERATE.
  • Dixon added 0 new cases today, total of 4,347 cases.
  • Fairfield added 27 new cases today, total of 22,725 cases.
  • Rio Vista was adjusted -1 today, total of 1,191 cases.
  • Suisun City added 6 new cases today, total of 5,961 cases.
  • Vacaville added 29 new cases today, a total of 21,698 cases.
  • Vallejo added 53 new cases today, a total of 25,599 cases.
  • Unincorporated added 0 new cases today, a total of 199 cases.

TEST RATE:  Solano County’s 7-Day Percent Positive TEST RATE was up to 6% today, from 4% on last Thursday. Even at this low rate, Solano does not compare favorably: The CALIFORNIA 7-day % positive rate fell from 1.6% to 1.2% today  [Source: Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Tracking Center] and the U.S. 7-day % positive rate was also up today from 3.0% to 3.4%. [Source: CDC COVID Data Tracker.] 

HOSPITALIZATIONS:

CURRENT: Solano reported the number of those currently hospitalized with COVID in the County rose today from 7 persons to 8. Current hospitalizations don’t tell the whole story, though, as this number reflects both admissions and discharges.  Only from the increase in total hospitalizations (below) can we know how many new admissions have come into our hospitals as of this date.

TOTAL hospitalizations: Solano did not update its Age Group and Race/Ethnicity charts today.  TREND: Solano reported 284 hospitalizations in January, 184 in February, and (without explanation) 644 in March.  Only 5 so far in April, but the County often post-dates hospitalizations.

ICU Bed Availability Solano County reported available hospital beds increased today, from 40% on last Thursday to 43% today, in the County’s GREEN safe zone.

Ventilator Availability in Solano County was up a bit today from 73% to 75% available, in the County’s GREEN safe zone. 

HOW DOES TODAY’S REPORT COMPARE?  See recent reports and others going back to April 20, 2020 in my ARCHIVE of daily Solano COVID updates (an excel spreadsheet).

Click green text above or on the image.

>The data on this page is from the Solano County COVID-19 Dashboard.  The Dashboard is full of much more information and (as of 3/14/2022) is updated Monday and Thursday between 4 and 6pm.  On the County’s dashboard, you can hover a mouse or click on an item for more information.  Note the tabs at top for “Summary, Demographics” and “Vaccines.”  Click here to go to today’s Solano County Dashboard.

See also my BENINDY ARCHIVE of daily Solano COVID updates (an excel spreadsheet).  I have also archived the hundreds of full CORONAVIRUS REPORTS posted here almost daily on the Benicia Independent since April 2020.

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AMPORTS, Fire, Fire Chief Josh Chadwick, Port of Benicia, Valero Benicia Refinery

AMPORTS, Valero and consumers could be hit hard by Benicia Port Fire

Benicia Port Fire Could Spur New Round of Inflation

KPIX 5 News, Da Lin reports, April 10, 2022

It took fire crews 24 hours to extinguish the dock fire in Benicia.
Now the port and the companies that use it are taking stock of the possible economic impact.

 

AMPORTS, Fire, Fire Chief Josh Chadwick, Port of Benicia, Valero Benicia Refinery

Benicia port fire fully extinguished

Benicia port fire fully extinguished, officials say; cause still being determined

ABC7 Bay Area News, By Cornell Barnard, Ryan Curry, April 10, 2022

BENICIA, Calif. (KGO) — A four-alarm fire that burned beneath a commercial pier for nearly 24 hours at Benicia Port has been extinguished, and water clean-up efforts are underway, city officials said in a press release Sunday.

The fire, first reported at 12:20 p.m. Saturday, broke out in the 1000 block of Bayshore Drive, adjacent to the Amports port terminal. It was burning at the base of a petroleum coke silo, with flames traveling up a conveyer belt toward a docked tanker ship.

The video above is from a previous report.

Thick black smoke filled the air Saturday as fire engines and fire boats attacked the inferno from all sides.

Fire crews from across Solano County raced to the scene off Bayshore Road. The fire began just before noon, five hours later it was still burning. ABC7 News cameras captured the moment parts of the dock collapsed into the water.

At a 4:30p.m. press conference, an official said that “no injuries have been reported.”

Ships anchored at the Port were moved away for safety into the Carquinez Straights, including an oil tanker.

“This is crazy, it’s scary because they offload gas and oil here,” said Tony Ciarrochi from Benicia.


Longshoreman working at the port were told to leave.

“I’m feeling panicky because we can’t get down there, some of our coworkers are still in there, it’s a toxic situation right now,” said Longshoreman Gail Day.

No one was hurt in the fire but Benicia fire officials were concerned about hazardous materials on the pier like creosote, which could harm the environment.

Fire officials believe the fire could burn for 24 hours at least. A cause is still under investigation.

The fire was burning adjacent to a historic park where a wedding was scheduled Saturday but the area was ordered evacuated. The wedding party was looking for a backup plan.

“We’re sending all the guests to another location to regroup and see if we can hold the wedding at a park, a house or anywhere we can,” said photographer David Hall.

No shelter-in-place order was issued for nearby residents. But health officials in Contra Costa County advised the public to limit outdoor activities.

The Solano County Fire Investigation Unit is working to determine the cause of the fire.

The city will then work with Valero and Amports on port repairs and reconstruction efforts.

Bay City News contributed to this report.

AMPORTS, Benicia Fire Chief Josh Chadwick, Benicia Fire Department, Fire, Keeping Watch on Earth News, Port of Benicia, Toxic pollutants, Toxic smoke, Valero Benicia Refinery

KQED on Benicia Port fire – Fire Chief reports refinery byproducts are burning, so far residents spared by west winds

Who and what is East of the Benicia Port?  Where is toxic ash falling to ground?