As the delta variant has become California’s predominant strain, several counties in the Sacramento region are noticing an uptick in cases.”Mass gatherings, especially indoors, in combination with unvaccinated people and in addition to the delta variant which is highly transmissible,” said Dr. Lorena García, a professor of epidemiology at the UC Davis School of Medicine.The statewide case rate is 3.8 new cases per 100,000 people.Currently, Sacramento is at 9.3, followed by Stanislaus and Placer counties at less than five, and Yolo County at 1.9 new cases per 100,000.According to Frank Schneegas, a spokesperson with Yolo County, those numbers are mostly a reflection of unvaccinated people; out of 115,000 fully vaccinated residents, only 82 have tested positive for COVID-19, so they’re expanding their vaccination efforts.”Davis as a city tends to be ahead of the countywide average, so there are specific groups that we’re targeting outreach to try to encourage them to get vaccinated,” Shneegas said.Meanwhile, Sacramento County is struggling with those second doses, which would increase protection against COVID-19 and its variants.According to Sacramento County Health officials, the county is averaging 147 new Covid-19 cases over the past 7 days.The county has not seen numbers that high since mid-April.”We have less than 60% of older adults that have not been fully vaccinated and this is really critical right now,” adds García.In a presentation Tuesday to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, county health officials said it is harder to treat patients with the delta variant.”The delta variant does not respond to one of the antibodies in the dual monoclonal antibody treatments,” Dr. Vanessa Walker with Sutter Health tells KCRA 3. “The Regeneron product has two different antibodies that are present and one of them is not terribly effective for the delta variant.”Another concern are cases increasing among Sacramento’s African American community.The Department of Health Services says cases among African Americans ages 0 to 49 have made up 11.6% of the county’s total cases in the past 30 days.In prior months, that was only 5.3%.In a statement to KCRA 3, Sacramento County said: “We continue to see day-to-day increases of new COVID cases. The majority of cases are among those who were not vaccinated. Vaccination is still the best way for individuals to protect themselves and their loved ones against COVID. Even those very few individuals who get COVID while vaccinated typically have milder cases that do not require hospitalization.”Placer County officials say they’ve noticed a modest increase in their case rate recently: “…In the last few days hospitals located in Placer have reported more admissions within their service areas. In Placer, we are still receiving larger numbers of B.1.1.7 sequencing results, but the numbers of delta results are growing, and sequencing results generally are coming in for cases that are a few weeks old so may not be reflective of the current status.”A Solano County spokesperson also sent a statement to KCRA 3 saying their increase was noticed after the 4th of July.”Most of the cases are in younger groups that have lower vaccination rates,” the statement read.It adds that the county is working to “remove barriers to vaccination by focusing on under-resourced neighborhoods and partnering with community-based organizations.”— KCRA 3’s Brittany Hope contributed to this report.
As the delta variant has become California’s predominant strain, several counties in the Sacramento region are noticing an uptick in cases.
“Mass gatherings, especially indoors, in combination with unvaccinated people and in addition to the delta variant which is highly transmissible,” said Dr. Lorena García, a professor of epidemiology at the UC Davis School of Medicine.
The statewide case rate is 3.8 new cases per 100,000 people.
Currently, Sacramento is at 9.3, followed by Stanislaus and Placer counties at less than five, and Yolo County at 1.9 new cases per 100,000.
According to Frank Schneegas, a spokesperson with Yolo County, those numbers are mostly a reflection of unvaccinated people; out of 115,000 fully vaccinated residents, only 82 have tested positive for COVID-19, so they’re expanding their vaccination efforts.
“Davis as a city tends to be ahead of the countywide average, so there are specific groups that we’re targeting outreach to try to encourage them to get vaccinated,” Shneegas said.
Meanwhile, Sacramento County is struggling with those second doses, which would increase protection against COVID-19 and its variants.
According to Sacramento County Health officials, the county is averaging 147 new Covid-19 cases over the past 7 days.
The county has not seen numbers that high since mid-April.
“We have less than 60% of older adults that have not been fully vaccinated and this is really critical right now,” adds García.
In a presentation Tuesday to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, county health officials said it is harder to treat patients with the delta variant.
“The delta variant does not respond to one of the antibodies in the dual monoclonal antibody treatments,” Dr. Vanessa Walker with Sutter Health tells KCRA 3. “The Regeneron product has two different antibodies that are present and one of them is not terribly effective for the delta variant.”
Another concern are cases increasing among Sacramento’s African American community.
The Department of Health Services says cases among African Americans ages 0 to 49 have made up 11.6% of the county’s total cases in the past 30 days.
In prior months, that was only 5.3%.
In a statement to KCRA 3, Sacramento County said: “We continue to see day-to-day increases of new COVID cases. The majority of cases are among those who were not vaccinated. Vaccination is still the best way for individuals to protect themselves and their loved ones against COVID. Even those very few individuals who get COVID while vaccinated typically have milder cases that do not require hospitalization.”
Placer County officials say they’ve noticed a modest increase in their case rate recently: “…In the last few days hospitals located in Placer have reported more admissions within their service areas. In Placer, we are still receiving larger numbers of B.1.1.7 sequencing results, but the numbers of delta results are growing, and sequencing results generally are coming in for cases that are a few weeks old so may not be reflective of the current status.”
A Solano County spokesperson also sent a statement to KCRA 3 saying their increase was noticed after the 4th of July.
“Most of the cases are in younger groups that have lower vaccination rates,” the statement read.
It adds that the county is working to “remove barriers to vaccination by focusing on under-resourced neighborhoods and partnering with community-based organizations.”
— KCRA 3’s Brittany Hope contributed to this report.