Over the past eight days, The San Diego County COVID-19 case total has risen rapidly as health authorities have reported more than 300 new COVID-19 cases seven times. 

A new single-day record of 497 new positive COVID-19 cases, as well as a new death, was reported by County public health officials on Sunday. This brings San Diego County totals up to 13,334 cases and 361 fatalities.

440 new cases had been reported on Friday, which was the highest number recorded until Sunday. On Saturday, the county recorded 8,301 tests Saturday and 6% were positive new cases. 

According to reports, a woman in her early 60s, with underlying health conditions was the only death reported on Sunday. 

Officials noted that over the past week, eight community outbreaks were identified, which were two more than Saturday. These are alarming numbers as businesses and areas of social gathering continue to reopen. 

In a statement last Wednesday, County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said “The sense of community we brought together at the beginning of this to slow the spread is the same one we need to summon now.”

Adding, “It’s natural to see the spread when things start to reopen. What we want to avoid is an exponential spread.”

Coincidentally, both Supervisor Fletcher and his wife, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, announced last Thursday they are going into quarantine because of possible coronavirus exposure.

“We were notified today that we had close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19,” Fletcher and Gonzalez said in a joint statement. “While we have both tested negative and have no symptoms, we will be following the public health guidance of a 14-day quarantine for those who have been in contact with a positive case.”

The fact is that numbers are not decreasing. In fact, they are on the rise in many parts of the country. It is important to continue to stay clean and socially distance yourself from crowds as often as possible. We are in for a long Fall and Winter.