Record number of coronavirus cases reported in Sacramento, Placer counties

SACRAMENTO, Calif — Coronavirus cases across the Sacramento region continue to rise. Over the weekend, more than 28,000 cases were recorded in the 16-county region.

Sacramento and Placer counties both reported a record-high of new cases on July 20 and July 19, respectively.

Sacramento County reported 391 new coronavirus cases reported to the county health officials on July 20. Placer County reported 83 new coronavirus cases reported to the county on July 19.

These show coronavirus cases as they were reported from the lab to county officials. The new coronavirus cases report does not reflect when the people took the test or were first ill.

For Sacramento and Placer Counties, the California Department of Public Health is closely monitoring each county's decreasing number of ICU beds and the rising number of coronavirus hospitalizations, respectively.

As of July 19, CDPH reported 47 people were in Placer County hospitals. CDPH said this is a 17.1% increase for the county's 3-day average of coronavirus hospitalizations. 

Sacramento had 70 patients with the coronavirus in the ICU. CDPH reports with the number of coronavirus patients and other patients in the ICU, the county's current availability is roughly 14.5% on July 19.

Read more from ABC10

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• Why Sacramento region's total coronavirus death toll rises, death rate lowers

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COVID-19 BACKGROUND

According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.

Currently, there is no vaccine; however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, along with any other respiratory illness:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.

WHY HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE SO CONCERNED

Some people have compared the low overall death toll to the flu's high annual death toll in the United States as a reason not to be concerned about COVID-19, however, doctors and health officials are concerned for three main reasons:

1. There's no vaccine yet and won't be one for until early 2021, at the soonest. Scientists are still researching what other medications could help patients. 
2. Some people have built up immunity to the flu, but few have immunity to the COVID-19 version of coronavirus. 
3. Both the flu and COVID-19 are spread by droplets, but COVID-19 might be spread in the air. Scientists are researching exactly how COVID-19 spreads.