Humboldt County Public Health confirmed three new COVID-19 cases again today for the third consecutive day, bringing the county's total to 518.
Humboldt County remains in the “moderate” category under the state's four-tiered system, with a test positivity rate of 0.7 percent and 1.2 cases per 100,000 individuals, according to the state's data, which was updated Sept. 29. The statewide level is 7 cases per 100,000 and a test positivity rate of 3.4 percent.
The state's "substantial" risk tier — which includes counties averaging between 4 and seven new cases a day per 100,000 residents or test positivity rates of 5 to 8 percent — brings tighter restrictions, including further limiting indoor restaurant and gym capacities and closing some "non-essential indoor business operations," like office. If the county were to move into the "substantial risk" tier, it would then need to record numbers in the "moderate" tier for 21 consecutive days before the state would loosen the added restrictions.
But in the local risk assessment yesterday, the county reported it has upgraded both the "health care capacity" and "effectiveness of disease control" categories to Level 1, or "new normal," from Level 2, or "moderate risk," as hospitalizations and rates of new confirmed cases have slowed.
To date, Humboldt County has seen 32 hospitalizations and eight deaths, including two over the past week. Nationwide, 7.3 million COVID-19 have been confirmed with 207,302 deaths, according to the
Centers for Disease Control, including 817,277 cases and 15,986 deaths in California.
Today's Humboldt County results included the processing of 273 samples, with a positivity rate of 1 percent.
Basics of COVID-19
The California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control, state that symptoms of novel coronavirus include cough and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or at least two of the following: fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat or a new loss of taste or smell.
Emergency warning signs needing immediate medical attention include difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to awaken, and bluish lips or face.
In an emergency situation:
Call ahead to the emergency room or inform the 911 operator of the possibility of a COVID-19 infection and, if possible, put on a face mask.
Symptoms or possible exposure:
In the case of a possible exposure with symptoms — fever and cough or shortness of breath — contact your doctor’s office or the county Department of Health and Human Services, which has a hotline that can be reached during business hours at
[email protected] or at (707) 441-5000. Residents seeking medical advice or questions about testing are asked to contact Public Health at
[email protected] or at (707) 445-6200.
St. Joseph Health has also set up a virtual assessment tool as an aid to assess risk factors for contracting the illness, which can be found at
here.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has started a rumor-control webpage that can be found
here.
For the
Journal's latest COVID stories, updates and information resources, click
here.
Read the county's release below.
Oct. 2, 2020 - Three New Cases Reported Today
707-441-5000 ; [email protected] ; Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm Opens in new window
A total of 518 Humboldt County residents have tested positive for COVID-19, after three new cases were reported today.
Today’s alert level stands at two or level yellow. Visit humboldtgov.org/dashboard to view the county’s Alert Level Assessment tool.
For the most recent COVID-19 information, visit cdc.gov or cdph.ca.gov. Local information is available at humboldtgov.org or during business hours by contacting [email protected] or calling 707-441-5000.
Humboldt County COVID-19 Data Dashboard: humboldtgov.org/dashboard,
Follow us on Facebook: @HumCoCOVID19,
Instagram: @HumCoCOVID19,
Twitter: @HumCoCOVID19, and
Humboldt Health Alert: humboldtgov.org/HumboldtHealthAlert
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