Alameda County recorded the most new coronavirus cases ever the same day that San Francisco health officials across the Bay reported they had surpassed 20,000 cases of the deadly virus, a grim milestone for a region beset with a health crisis unlike any other.
Vaccines for the virus are already being administered to healthcare workers across California, but health officials are continuing to battle a third deadly surge in the virus that has been far more difficult to deal with than the previous two.
In the Bay Area so far, 216,530 people have contracted the disease — 4,188 of whom were reported infected Saturday — and 2,267 people have died, including 18 who were reported dead over the weekend.
As records continue to be broken across the state and the region, on Saturday Alameda County health officials recorded 1,767 new cases of the virus, the most ever since the start of the pandemic.
Alameda County did not record anything close to this many new cases since Dec. 8 when 1,111 infections were reported. On Saturday, Alameda County stood at 42,029 total cases of the virus and 585 deaths. Eleven deaths were reported Saturday.
Just across the Bay in San Francisco, health officials noted a grim milestone for the city as coronavirus cases surpassed the 20,000 mark. San Francisco health officials said 20,152 people have been infected with the virus, including 289 who were reported positive Saturday. A total of 176 people have died in the city, three of whom were reported dead Saturday.
Like the city, San Mateo County — which had relaxed its coronavirus restrictions based on low case and death numbers — also noted a grim milestone as 15 people were reported dead of the virus on Saturday, the most since the start of the pandemic.
In total 20,479 people have contracted the virus in the county — the county surpassed the 20,000 mark over the weekend — with 390 new cases reported Saturday. One hundred and ninety-eight people have died of the virus in San Mateo County so far.
Officials in Santa Clara County, which has long been a hotspot for the virus based on its population, recorded 1,020 new cases for a total of 54,905 cases. No new people were reported dead from the virus, keeping the total number of dead at 198.
In Contra Costa County, officials said 503 people contracted the virus for a total of 34,216 cases. Officials added that 298 people have died of the virus, seven of whom were reported dead Saturday.
North Bay officials in Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Marin counties reported 219 new cases of the virus and three new deaths for a total of 44,749 cases and 427 deaths.
