Nov 1, 2021

Delta variant cases high in these areas of Humboldt


At 2: 53, the JIC issued a correction. "This morning’s provider alert incorrectly identified “Southern Eureka” as one of the areas seeing high COVID-19 case rates. Higher COVID-19 case rates have recently been seen in the greater Fortuna area. The Joint Information Center regrets this error."

Updated Press Release:

Humboldt County  Public  Health issued an alert this  morning to  medical  providers  in the  greater Fortuna area  cautioning that COVID-19  contact tracing and investigations  show an  unusually  high number of  schools,  facilities,  businesses  and youth sports  leagues  reporting cases  over the  past several  weeks.   

Correction:  Southern  Eureka  was  incorrectly  identified as  one  of  the  areas  seeing high COVID-19  case  rates  in a previous  version of  this  release.  Higher COVID-19 case  rates  have  recently  been seen in the  greater Fortuna area. The  Joint Information Center regrets  this  error. 

The  alert outlines  for providers  the  importance  of  vaccination,  testing  and what steps  to  follow if  a resident tests  positive  for  COVID-19  on an at-home test.   Analysis  by  Public  Health’s  Epidemiology  Program  has  shown that the  following  zip codes,  95540,  95547, 95528,  95562,  and  95565,  which include  southern  Eureka, Fortuna,  Rio  Dell,  Scotia,  Hydesville  and Carlotta,  have  been experiencing higher than usual  cases,  hospitalizations  and deaths  during  the  Delta surge  starting  in June.   

Over the  past two  months,  there  have  been  60%  more  cases  in these  zip  codes compared to  the  rest of  the  county.  Further  analysis  shows  that  while  the  COVID19  case  rates  are  declining countywide,  in this  geographic  area the  rates  are declining  at half  the  rate  seen in the  rest of  the  county.  

Analysis  of  COVID-19 hospitalizations  and deaths  for these  zip codes  show that both were  higher than the countywide  numbers,  with a 48%  increase  in hospitalizations  and  28%  increase  in deaths.   

Because of  the  high COVID-19  case  rates  and  lower vaccination rates  in  these areas,  Humboldt County  Public  Health  is  encouraging  everyone who  takes  an at home  test that is  positive  to  follow  CDC  isolation instructions  and  contact their medical  provider for medical  guidance  immediately.  Public  Health  further recommends  that people  who  have  positive  home  tests  also  have  a  PCR  test through  a medical  provider’s  office,  a local  pharmacy  or at a  county-sponsored testing  site.  PCR  testing after a positive  at-home  test is  best done  within  24-48 hours  after the  positive  test.     Humboldt County  Public  Health continues  to  monitor for disease  outbreak  in the county  as  part of  its  ongoing  work  in  Communicable  Disease. 

Original Press Release:

Humboldt County Public Health issued an alert this morning to medical providers in the southern Eureka/greater Fortuna area cautioning that COVID-19 contact tracing and investigations show an unusually high number of schools, facilities, businesses and youth sports leagues reporting cases over the past several weeks. 

The alert outlines for providers the importance of vaccination, testing and what steps to follow if a resident tests positive for COVID-19 on an at-home test. 

Analysis by Public Health’s Epidemiology Program has shown that the following zip codes, 95540, 95547, 95528, 95562, and 95565, which include southern Eureka, Fortuna, Rio Dell, Scotia, Hydesville and Carlotta, have been experiencing higher than usual cases, hospitalizations and deaths during the Delta surge starting in June. 

Over the past two months, there have been 60% more cases in these zip codes compared to the rest of the county. Further analysis shows that while the COVID-19 case rates are declining countywide, in this geographic area the rates are declining at half the rate seen in the rest of the county. Analysis of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths for these zip codes show that both were higher than the countywide numbers, with a 48% increase in hospitalizations and 28% increase in deaths. 

Because of the high COVID-19 case rates and lower vaccination rates in these areas, Humboldt County Public Health is encouraging everyone who takes an at-home test that is positive to follow CDC isolation instructions and contact their medical provider for medical guidance immediately. Public Health further recommends that people who have positive home tests also have a PCR test through a medical provider’s office, a local pharmacy or at a county-sponsored testing site. PCR testing after a positive at-home test is best done within 24-48 hours after the positive test.  

Humboldt County Public Health continues to monitor for disease outbreak in the county as part of its ongoing work in Communicable Disease.  

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