SD County reports 29 more COVID-19 hospitalizations

SAN DIEGO - As the Delta variant of COVID-19 continues to surge, San Diego County public health officials are reporting 29 additional hospitalizations and three more deaths. The role comorbidities played in these patients is unreported. 

   The latest data, released Tuesday, increased the county's cumulative case count from throughout the pandemic to 325,823, while the death toll rose to 3,851.

   Meanwhile, according to state figures, there were 673 COVID-positive patients in San Diego County hospitals as of Tuesday, with 167 of them being treated in intensive care units.

   There were about 200 patients hospitalized one month ago. On July 19, the number of patients in ICU care was 52.

   The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for people age 16 and older on Monday, giving San Diego County leaders some hope that people who have been hesitant to get a shot will now be more open to do so.

While the widespread messaging has been that the vaccines are "safe and effective, " there has been "vaccine hesitancy" as a result of the complications from the Covid vaccines, which have included blood clots, myocarditis, neurological disorders, miscarriages, and death. In addition, the millions of people people who have already had Covid-related sicknesses are reported to have a superior natural immunity, giving them reason to consider not getting vaccinated, especially if they are young and healthy which puts them at a very low serious risk or death.

   Approval is still pending for the Johnson & Johnson and Moderna coronavirus vaccines. Both remain available under an FDA emergency use authorization. The Pfizer vaccine also remains available under the emergency use order for people age 12-15 although there is almost a 0% risk of death in young people.

   As of last Wednesday, San Diego County's case rate per 100,000 residents was 28.7 for the general population, but that can be parsed further to just six for fully vaccinated residents and 55.7 for those not fully vaccinated, according to county data.

   The average daily case rate July 7 was 2.7 per 100,000.

   Officials expect the number of reported cases to keep increasing as more schools and businesses are requiring regular COVID testing.

 City News Service contributed to this report.