Humboldt County Public Health reported 15 new cases today along with an increase in available local intensive care unit capacity as the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized locally decreases.

With today's results, which came after 182 samples were tested with a test-positivity rate of 8.2 percent, the county has now confirmed a total of 3,067 COVID-19 cases to date, including 85 this week. The week's case count — the county's lowest since mid November — represents a continued decrease from January, when the county was confirming 200-plus new cases a week.

According to the county's dashboard, 10 local residents are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, including one under intensive care. Local available intensive care unit capacity, meanwhile has risen to 28.6 — up from the 10.7 percent reported yesterday.

The county's Joint Information Center also reported today that the state Department of PUblic Health has released updates guidelines for youth and adult recreational sports, which allow some to resume with safety measures in place in counties with case relates below an average of 14 new cases confirmed daily per 100,000 residents. The measures will take effect next Friday and the county will release additional information before then, according to the release.

Yesterday, the county announced it had confirmed the presence of a never-before-seen COVID-19 variation in 16 cases associated with the catastrophic outbreak at Granada Rehabilitation and Wellness. Read more about that here.

Meanwhile, the state of California updated its COVID risk tier assignments Tuesday and Humboldt County remains in the most restrictive purple "widespread" tier with most of the rest of the state. However, Public Health reported today that Humboldt County's recent data would meet the red "substantial" risk tier metrics if it continues for another week, which could trigger the loosening of some restrictions next week. In a media availability Wednesday, county Health Officer Ian Hoffman indicated he expected this to happen.

The state data shows Humboldt County having recorded an average of 8.2 new COVID-19 cases per day per 100,000 residents with a seven-day average test positivity rate of 4.2 percent, though the state's data lags more than a week behind local numbers. The state as a whole reported averaging 24.2 new cases per day per 100,000 residents with an average test positivity rate of 6.5 percent.

Vaccination efforts, meanwhile, continue to move slowly forward, with residents over the age of 75, healthcare workers, teachers and first responders currently eligible to receive their shots. In a press release yesterday, Public Health urged any local residents 75 and older who haven't been contacted by their primary care provider or who don't have one to call the Joint Information Center at 441-5000 to schedule a COVD-19 vaccination.

Public Health last week that it is slated to receive 3,550 additional vaccine doses this week, though some may have been delayed due to extreme weather in other parts of the country. In a subsequent press release, the county said it planned to administer 2,000 second doses of vaccine this week and urged anyone who's second vaccine dose is due within the next five days but hasn't been contacted to schedule an appointment to call the Joint Information Center at 441-5000.

Regardless of who's administering vaccines, the county reminds residents that clinics are by appointment or invitation only at this point, based on the state's prioritization schedule, and walk-ups will not be accommodated.

Residents are urged to continue to follow COVID safety guidelines as vaccinations roll out, which could take months.

To date, Humboldt County has confirmed 3,067 cases, with 130 hospitalizations and 32 confirmed COVID-19 related deaths.

The county dashboard lists 2,907 people as having "recovered" from the virus locally, though that just means they are no longer contagious and does not account for long-term health impacts, which local healthcare workers have told the Journal can be substantial, even in previously health patients.

The county’s test positivity rate has gone from 3.6 percent in November, to 7.3 percent in December, to 9.9 percent in January. Through the first 19 days of February, the test-positivity rate sits at 7.1 percent.

Nationwide, more than 27.7 million COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, with 491,455 related deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control. In California, 3.4 million cases have been confirmed with 48,344 deaths, according to the Department of Public Health.

The state has issued a travel advisory strongly discouraging all non-essential travel and urging anyone returning from non essential, out-of-state travel needs to self-quarantine for a minimum of 10 days upon their return.

Meanwhile, the county's Joint Information Center is urging locals to get tested, calling it "one of the most helpful things county residents can do for the community at large," because it allows Public Health to catch cases early and limit spread. The state-run OptumServe testing site at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds in Eureka is open seven days a week and no-cost appointments can be made by clicking here or calling (888) 634-1123.