COVID cases, hospitalizations on the rise in Northern California as new variant spreads
SACRAMENTO — COVID-19 cases are climbing once again and hospitalizations in our region are also up. A new variant of the coronavirus is likely what is driving this increase, making up about 44% of all cases nationwide.
The new variant, JN.1, may be more contagious, but data shows that it is less severe. Still, it is something doctors say that we need to keep our eye on and do our part to stop its spread.
"The pandemic was so traumatic for people that they just wanted it to be over and done with," said former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams. "They want to put it in the back window and never think about it again."
U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention data shows that Sacramento, Yolo, El Dorado and Placer counties are four of the six California counties with the highest level of COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people over the past week, with 246 hospital admissions.
So why are we seeing this increase? A local doctor said there is no particular reason why but it is expected given the rise of cases we saw on the East Coast over the past few weeks.
"I have had a sore throat, cough, and I took a shower earlier today and I felt like I was going to pass out," said Cecelia Linder who lives in Antelope.
Linder spoke with CBS13 via phone on Tuesday evening. She has been bed-ridden in Sacramento County with COVID-19 since she tested positive last Friday.
"I feel like this COVID has been worse than when I had it in March," said Linder.
She has been spending the holidays isolating from family and decided to test when she got a runny nose and cough that would not go away.
"COVID is going to be with us for the foreseeable future," said Dr. Adams. "That does not mean it has to dominate or rule our lives if we take sensible precautions."
As we finish out the year, flu cases are also rising, so how can you tell the difference between the flu and COVID-19? Health experts said the only way to know is by testing, as many symptoms are very similar.
Dr. Rob Oldham, Placer County's interim health officer, gave CBS13 the following statement about the virus and the region's handling of the uptick:
"As predicted, respiratory viruses, like COVID-19 and influenza, have increased their spread in California during the winter. Locally, wastewater samples show a rise in SARS-CoV-2 the week of Dec. 16 to Dec. 21. While respiratory viruses are on the rise, local hospitals serving Placer and the Greater Sacramento region continue to report adequate healthcare capacity. Residents might consider wearing a high-quality mask when indoors in public, self-testing to detect infection, staying up to date on vaccines, and bringing in as much fresh air into their homes as possible during gatherings.
Although there's not precise local data on the JN.1 variant, the emerging evidence suggest that vaccines, tests, and treatments work well against it."