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There's new hope in the COVID crisis.
In California, the positive test rate is slowly falling after climbing consistently since mid-December. Health officials will not yet say if the state has peaked, but they are anticipating three consecutive days of lower case counts in the coming week. As hospitals and emergency rooms continue to fill, the rate at which positive cases are coming in are reportedly slower in comparison to previous weeks, as health officials continue to monitor the surges. Overall, unvaccinated people across California are 8 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people, according to state data, and on average two COVID-19 deaths are reported day in the county.
In the Bay Area, the average daily coronavirus cases have dipped week over week, suggesting much of the region may be near - or possibly past - the peak of the winter omicron surge. Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye said last week that the county has been working with hospitals and the state to increase surge capacity and submit requests for staffing support.