83 Total New COVID-19 Cases In Tuolumne County, 22nd Confirmed Death

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Sonora, CA – Tuolumne County Public Health reports over the weekend a man in his 80’s died of COVID-19. They also report 69 new community COVID-19 cases and 14 additional inmate cases at the Sierra Conservation Center since Friday, Jan. 1. Two SCC inmates are hospitalized. Two of the new community cases are hospitalized and the remaining individuals appear to be isolating at home, according to public health officials.

At least 9 of the new community cases are residents of local congregate care facilities. The health department’s team continues to coordinate with healthcare, safety, and community partners noting that they will “help identify and address needs and gaps to prevent further spread of the virus in facilities that care for vulnerable individuals.” A total of 77 individuals were released from isolation and 4 were released from the hospital.

Today’s community cases in Tuolumne County residents include 4 males and 4 females under 20, 7 males and 1 female in their 20s, 3 male and 6 female in their 30s, 7 males and 5 females in their 40s, 6 males and 3 females in their 50s, 8 males and 4 females in their 60s, 3 males and 1 female in their 70’s and 2 males and 5 females in their 80s.

Tuolumne County has a total of 3,045 cases including 1,118 inmate cases. Total recovered community cases are listed as 1,782 and there are 123 active community cases. There are 270 active cases among the over 2,000 SCC inmates and no deaths. SCC also oversees over 800 inmates at 16 Conservation Camps throughout Central and Southern California. A total of 21 deaths of Tuolumne County residents have been attributed to COVID-19. Total tested 21,991.

Tuolumne is part of the San Joaquin Valley Region that as of today, Monday has 0% of normal ICU bed capacity is available and remains under the Stay at Home Order. View the regional and county-specific ICU statistics by visiting our updating COVID-19 Information page here.

Mariposa County Public Health reports they are preparing to finish the Phase 1A tiers this week. They note, “This means that Phase 1B is just around the corner.” They attribute their success to a Vaccine Planning Team which has been working on the distribution details since late summer. They report, “The team and its community partners have been able to safely and effectively move through each allocation of vaccines they have been shipped, not wasting a drop.” According to Mariposa Public Health, phase 1B will include individuals 75+ years old, the workforce in education, childcare, emergency services, and food and agriculture, those 65-74 years old with underlying health conditions and/or a disability, and workers in transportation and logistics; industrial, residential, and commercial sectors; critical manufacturing; incarcerated individuals; and homeless/unhoused.

In an effort to reach those in Mariposa who may fall into the 1B phase based on age and/or health history, Mariposa has created a COVID-19 Vaccine Contact Form you can fill out. When you are eligible, someone will contact you to schedule an appointment. You can fill out the form by visiting https://bit.ly/3pOSDMk. If you have COVID-19 questions, about the vaccine or otherwise, please contact the Mariposa planning team at 209-259-1332. If someone needs to fill out the form and does not have internet access or needs assistance, they can call that number to have someone fill out the form with them.

Vaccine distribution continues in group 1A in Tuolumne County. The available vaccines are being given in phases to priority groups as detailed here. Public Health will be providing its regular COVID-19 update to the Board of Supervisors tomorrow morning at 9:00 A.M and can be viewed here.

Appointments to get tested at the Mother Lode fairgrounds can be scheduled at https://lhi.care/covidtesting to make an appointment for a map of other testing sites click here.

If you are having COVID-like symptoms, self-isolate and contact your healthcare provider or the Adventist Health Triage Line at 209-536-5166 Mon-Fri, or 209-536-5000 after hours. If you need immediate medical attention, please call ahead and go to Rapid Care or the Emergency Department. You can also visit www.valleycovidhelp.com for more information.

The COVID-19 call center is open during normal office hours and people who have questions or concerns can call 209-533-7440 for information.

Public health officials relay it is very important for the public to remain vigilant about following recommended safety measures and business/activity guidelines in order to keep themselves and those around them safe and healthy.
Those measures include:

• Practice physical distancing at all times. Keep 6 feet of space between yourself and others who aren’t part of your household bubble.
• Wearing a Face Covering in public.
• Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently
• Avoid gatherings of any size with people who are not part of your household.
• Stay home if you are sick.
• Avoid unnecessary travel, and limit your outings to essential tasks.