The Bay Area began the week by continuing to see a modest number of newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region’s early reporting counties.
San Francisco added one to its death toll, which rose to 35 on Monday, while there were 11 more tests to come back positive, bringing the count of confirmed cases in the city to 1,954, the highest per-capita infection rate in the region at 221 per 100,000 residents.
After failing to issue an update Sunday, San Mateo County reported an additional 39 confirmed cases Monday, bringing its count to 1,464, but its death toll remained at 56.
Of the 35 in San Francisco who have succumbed to the virus, all but three have been at least 60 years old. In San Mateo County, all but four of its 56 fatalities — including one person in their thirties — have been people 60 years or older.
The highest concentration of confirmed cases in San Mateo County is its eponymous city, where 330 residents have tested positive, followed by Daly City (280), Redwood City (199) and South San Francisco (132). Reporting fewer than 100 cases: San Bruno (74), Menlo Park (54), East Palo Alto (51), Burlingame (48), Pacifica (38) Belmont (27), San Carlos (21) and Foster City (20). No other city reported more than 20 cases.
The Hispanic population continues to account for a disproportionate number of cases in San Francisco, about 40% vs. about 15% of the overall population. But whites (51.6%) and Asians (31.9%) account for most of the fatalities from the virus in San Francisco and San Mateo counties.
Mirroring a statewide trend, the rate of positive tests has declined in both municipalities as their testing capacities have increased. In San Francisco, where all essential workers are eligible for free testing regardless of symptoms, labs have conducted more than 8,000 tests in the past week, with the average positive rate dropping to 4.5% from around 10% in mid-April.
