As COVID wave washes over California, some health officials urge residents to mask up

"A COVID wave is washing over California, with the state seeing continued increases in the number of newly confirmed cases and hospitalizations as some officials urged the public to take greater precautions. The extent of the recent increases has prompted some county-level health officials to recommend that residents once again consider wearing masks in indoor public settings, at least until transmission has declined. California currently has "high" coronavirus levels in sewage, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

"The CDC estimates that coronavirus infections are either "growing" or "likely growing" in 30 states, including California. Twenty-one states have either "very high" or "high" viral levels in wastewater. Of all regions of the U.S., the West has the highest levels of coronavirus in wastewater, followed by the South. "California is experiencing a summer COVID wave," said Dr. Aimee Sisson, the health officer in Yolo County, just west of Sacramento."

"The rate at which coronavirus lab tests are coming back positive also continues to climb. For the week that ended Aug. 23, 12.07% of tests across the state came back positive, up from a rate of 6.03% for the week that ended July 26. Similar leaps in rates were seen in L.A. County, where the positive test rate was 13.44%, up from 8.11% four weeks earlier; in Orange County, it was 18.1%, up from 9.4%; and in San Francisco, it was 8.7%, up from 7.1%."

California is experiencing increasing COVID-19 activity with rising newly confirmed cases, hospitalizations, and test positivity statewide. County health officials have recommended returning to indoor mask use where transmission remains elevated. Wastewater monitoring shows 'high' coronavirus levels in California and many other states, with the West reporting the nation's highest levels. The CDC estimates infections are growing in 30 states and indicates very high or high wastewater viral levels in 21 states. Test positivity climbed from 6.03% late July to 12.07% the week ending Aug. 23, with notable county increases in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Francisco. Clinicians report an upswing in outpatient COVID patients.

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