Public Health today reported 39 new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed since Thursday and six more people have been hospitalized, including two people in their 50s, one in their 60s, two in their 70s and one over the age of 80.

Last week, two local residents, one in their 60s and one in their 70s, died of the virus.

Today's case results came after laboratories processed 456 samples with a test-positivity rate of 8.5 percent. According to a state database, 11 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 locally, including two under intensive care.

For comparison, Ventura County – with a bit more than 800,000 residents has 14 hospitalized COVID-19 patients while San Francisco County – with nearly 900,000 residents – has 17. Closer to home, Mendocino County is listed as having four hopitalizations while Del Norte County has two.

"Since the last update of weekly data on June 14, Humboldt County has seen 65 cases of COVID-19. The 30-39 age group represented the largest increase with 19 cases reported over the previous week, and five children between the ages of 0 and 9 have also tested positive for the virus in that time," a Joint Information Center release states.

The Joint Information Center also reported that two previous cases have been removed from the county's county, with one being an individual from out of the area and the other a false positive.

Last week's California's “Blueprint for a Safer Economy," the last of the state's process for ranking the risk rates of each county based on case and test positivity rate with corresponding restrictions, showed Humboldt with a final adjusted case rate was 5.1 per 100,000 residents with a positivity rate of 5 percent, far outpacing the rest of California.

Meanwhile, Public Health vaccinations clinics  scheduled this week in Bridgeville, Redcrest and Eureka will include the Pfizer vaccine, the only one authorized for those 12 to 17.

Clinic schedule:


To make an appointment in advance or view additional vaccination opportunities and to request help with transportation, visit www.vaccines.gov or www.myturn.ca.gov.

To date, Humboldt County has confirmed 4,499 cases, with 205 hospitalizations and 48 confirmed COVID-19 related deaths.

The county dashboard lists 4,342 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 healthy patients.

The county’s test positivity rate has gone from 3.6 percent in November, to 7.3 percent in December and 9.9 percent in January, before dropping to 6.5 percent in February. In March, it dropped to 4.5 percent before inching back up to 5.9 percent in April. In May, it jumped to 8.3 percent.

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 and other newly opened screening site information can be found here.

The Humboldt County Data Dashboard includes hospitalization rates by age group, death rates by age group and case totals by ZIP code, the latter of which are reported in "a range of 0 to 5 for case count until the area surpasses 5 total cases," according to the county. After that threshold has been reached in a ZIP code, the exact number will be included.

Basics of COVID-19

The California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control, state that symptoms of novel coronavirus include cough and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or at least two of the following: fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat or a new loss of taste or smell.

Emergency warning signs needing immediate medical attention include difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to awaken, and bluish lips or face.

In an emergency situation:

Call ahead to the emergency room or inform the 911 operator of the possibility of a COVID-19 infection and, if possible, put on a face mask.

Symptoms or possible exposure:

In the case of a possible exposure with symptoms — fever and cough or shortness of breath — contact your doctor’s office or the county Department of Health and Human Services, which has a hotline that can be reached during business hours at covidinfo@co.humboldt.ca.us or at (707) 441-5000. Residents seeking medical advice or questions about testing are asked to contact Public Health at hhsphb@co.humbldt.ca.us or at (707) 445-6200.

St. Joseph Health has also set up a virtual assessment tool as an aid to assessing risk factors for contracting the illness, which can be found here.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has started a rumor-control webpage that can be found here. For the Journal's latest COVID stories, updates and information resources, click here.

Read the county release below:

Thirty-nine new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Humboldt County since the most recent report on Thursday. Two previously reported positives have been removed after one case was found to be from another jurisdiction, and another was determined to be a false positive. The total number of county residents who have tested positive for the virus now stands at 4,499.

Six county residents have been hospitalized with COVID-19 since Thursday’s report, including two people in their 50s, one in their 60s, two in their 70s and one over the age of 80.

Since the last update of weekly data on June 14, Humboldt County has seen 65 cases of COVID-19. The 30-39 age group represented the largest increase with 19 cases reported over the previous week, and five children between the ages of 0 and 9 have also tested positive for the virus in that time.

Nine county residents have been hospitalized in the last week. Their age ranges are as follows: 1 person in their 40s 2 people in their 50s 2 people in their 60s 2 people in their 70s 2 people over the age of 80.

View the latest data on the Humboldt County Data Dashboard at humboldtgov.org/Dashboard.

Late last week, Cal/OSHA revised its COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards that regulate workplaces throughout the state. Updated rules now allow for employees to forego mask wearing in most situations if their employer confirms the worker’s vaccination status while unvaccinated workers must continue to wear a face covering in the workplace. Workers should consult their employer for workplace-specific policies related to COVID-19.

Business owners and employers are urged to read the guidance in detail and view additional business resources from Cal/OSHA at dir.ca.gov/dosh/coronavirus/ETS.html.

Humboldt County Public Health will offer the Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines at clinics scheduled this week in Eureka, Redcrest and Bridgeville. Walk-ins are welcome at all Public Health clinics. Make an appointment in advance or view additional vaccination options at MyTurn.ca.gov.

See the schedule of Public Health clinics below and which vaccines are offered at each clinic.

Eureka – Wednesday, June 23 – 2 to 6 p.m. College of the Redwoods Gym (7351 Tompkins Hill Road) Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson

Redcrest – Thursday, June 24 – Noon to 3:30 p.m. Redcrest Community Center (115 Sorenson Road) Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson

Bridgeville – Friday, June 25 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bridgeville Baptist Church (48215 Alderpoint Road) Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson

Eureka – Saturday, June 26 – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eureka High School cafeteria (1915 J St.) Pfizer/Johnson & Johnson

The Pfizer vaccine is authorized for people age 12 and older, and the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine is authorized for people 18 and older. A parent or guardian must accompany minor children to the clinic. Minor consent forms are available online in English and Spanish and may be printed and filled out for each minor child before coming to the clinic.

English: humboldtgov.org/MinorConsentEnglish

Español: humboldtgov.org/MinorConsentEspanol

COVID-19 vaccine is also available at many local pharmacies. Check availability at vaccines.gov, or text a ZIP code to 438829 to find a participating pharmacy nearby. Most pharmacies allow walk-ins.

View the Humboldt County Data Dashboard online at humboldtgov.org/dashboard, or go to humboldtgov.org/DashboardArchives to download today’s data.

For the most recent COVID-19 information, visit cdc.gov or cdph.ca.gov. Local information is available at humboldtgov.org or by contacting covidinfo@co.humboldt.ca.us or calling 707-441-5000.