Coronavirus Pandemic: Nearly 10 Percent Of Marin County Residents Tested For Coronavirus Returning Positive Results
SAN RAFAEL (CBS SF) -- Marin health officials say the advanced age base of the county's residents was playing a major role leading to nearly 10 percent of their coronavirus tests coming back with a positive result.
Dr. Lisa Santora, the acting county health officer, announced late Friday night that the number of positive tests results had jumped by 13 new cases and was now at 131 since the coronavirus outbreak began in the Bay Area.
"More than 1,200 residents have been tested for COVID-19," she said on a Youtube video. "Nearly 10 percent of the patients have tested positive...In Marin County we are seeing higher rates of deaths and hospitalizations because we are an older community."
She said that nationwide, 80 percent of the deaths have been among those aged 60-and-older. There have been 6 deaths among Marin residents as a result of infections of the virus.
"Aging with dignity is hard during a pandemic," Santora said.
On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said more than 2,000 patients hospitalized with the coronavirus in the state, including 901 who were in intensive care units.
Newsom also confirmed that more than 40 percent of the 2,188 individuals who have tested positive for the virus were in ICU beds.
"That 901 number represents a 10.4 percent increase from the previously reported number yesterday," Newsom said.
Over the last week, the number of coronavirus patients in hospitals has nearly tripled around the state while the number of patients in ICU beds has more than quadrupled.
