COVID: Humboldt County hospitalizations at all-time high
Local COVID-19 positivity rates and hospitalizations are at an all-time high. As the highly infectious delta variant continues to spread throughout Humboldt County, local officials are begging residents to get vaccinated.
Humboldt County Public Health reported 260 new cases of COVID-19 in the last week with a 10.9% positivity rate. On Friday, public health reported 69 new cases in a single day, “the highest single-day report since the first local case was diagnosed in February 2020,” according to a statement from public health.
Hospitalizations
Providence St. Joseph Hospital chief executive Dr. Roberta Luskin-Hawk said hospitalizations “are at the highest point today than ever in the pandemic.”
“It’s kind of playing out as I was concerned it would,” she said. “This morning we had 23 confirmed patients, of which a portion of them are in the ICU and a portion of them are not, but that’s the highest we’ve ever seen and you know we’re likely to see more.”
In January, during what was thought as the worst point in the pandemic, St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka had 16 COVID-19 patients.
The sharp increase has forced Providence St. Joseph Hospital to stop allowing visitors with patients.
“What we’re seeing now is a combination of the delta being 60% more contagious than the original strain and relaxed guidelines,” Luskin-Hawk said. “With the original strain, people who are contagious typically spread to one or two people. This strain spreads to between six and eight people from just one person. So, we have increased contagiousness with mask mandates removed and people just over it emotionally and wanting to enjoy family and festivities. Those three things coming together in the unvaccinated population is what’s fueling this surge.”
As the delta variant came into prominence locally last month, Humboldt County Public Health Officer Dr. Ian Hoffman called the ongoing surge a “pandemic of the unvaccinated.”
Luskin-Hawk noted that unvaccinated individuals account for more than 90% of COVID-19 related hospitalizations across the nation and over 99% of the deaths.
“We’re going to see more cases, we’re going to see more hospitalizations and we’re going to see more deaths that could have been prevented by the vaccine,” she said. “While our health care providers are providing the best care possible, they’re absolutely exhausted. We all are.”
COVID-19 in wastewater
Eureka reported higher levels of COVID-19 in its wastewater than nearly anywhere else in the United States. According to a Tuesday press statement, city officials identified “a higher-than-average concentration of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in wastewater flowing to the city’s wastewater treatment plant.”
“To be clear, this is not our drinking water,” said Eureka Mayor Susan Seaman in an address shared on YouTube. “It is the water from the sewer entering the wastewater treatment facility as a way to test the levels of the virus. What we have found is that the virus concentration is higher than 99% of all quantifiable samples collected nationwide in the past six weeks.”
The report coincides with last week’s highest single-day case count of confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to the statement.
Brian Gerving, Eureka Public Works director, reiterated that the alarming test results were from wastewater, not drinking water.
“At no point has local drinking water been threatened during the pandemic and it remains safe for consumption,” Garving said in a prepared statement. “However, knowing that the virus may be spreading locally at levels higher than in other parts of the country is important information that helps public health officials monitor and respond.”
Hoffman said the test results “are cause for concern.”
“As much as we may want it to be, the COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet,” he said. “Vaccination is still the best measure to protect yourself and the community from COVID-19. Masking and social distancing is also advised. … Everyone must continue to do their part to protect themselves and each other.”
Law enforcement short-staffed
The local surge in COVID-19 cases has impacted local law enforcement agencies as well. Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal said COVID positive cases have exacerbated the already short-staffed organization.
“The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has had a number of COVID positive cases recently in several divisions of our organization,” Honsal said. “Mandatory quarantine orders for multiple employees, combined with pre-existing short staffing and other emergency situations have caused our staff to work long hours in order to provide coverage of areas seeing a deficit.”
Unfortunately, the pandemic isn’t going away anytime soon and the sheriff’s office will continue to adapt, he said.
In accordance with new guidelines from the CDPH, the sheriff’s office recently implemented weekly testing within the Humboldt County Correctional Facility for unvaccinated employees.
“Everyone working in the facility will have to provide proof that they have been vaccinated or submit to a COVID test once a week,” he said. “Our correctional staff has maintained the requirement of wearing facial coverings throughout the pandemic, this requirement will continue, as well as our practice of quarantining all new inmates coming into the facility.”
Eureka Police Chief Steve Watson said Eureka implemented the new guidelines as well, “in an attempt to further protect our employees and the community in light of the local surge in delta variant related cases.”
Most recently, Watson said two EPD employees tested positive for COVID in mid-July and were forced to isolate.
“Both have since recovered and returned to work,” he said. “We have a couple of others currently undergoing testing due to possible but unconfirmed COVID-like symptoms.”
Quoting another city staffer, Watson noted that the decision to return to stricter guidelines was “not an arbitrary decision made by the city alone but is in following expert guidance and best practices across the nation.”
“The recent surge in COVID cases across our nation, state and county is certainly having an adverse impact touching many aspects of our lives just like before,” he said. “People are understandably weary and frustrated. Many feel very strongly about COVID vaccinations, both pro and against. … We need to remember that these decisions (vaccinations, masking, social distancing, etc.) aren’t just about our own personal opinions and lives but also about respecting and protecting others — especially the most vulnerable among us.”
While Watson underscored his respect for individual choice along with “genuine medical and religious exemptions,” he said, “It is past time.”
“This is not the flu,” he said. “COVID is a serious and very real public health concern. I have watched multiple friends and family members suffer from it, with several hospitalized and others experiencing serious long-term side effects following ‘recovery’…I strongly encourage those who have not yet been vaccinated and can to do so.”
The Arcata Police Department and Mad River Hospital did not return the Times-Standard’s request for comment on this subject ahead of print deadline.
The county has several vaccination clinics coming up this week. Walk-ins are welcome but appointments are encouraged. Interested individuals can sign up at MyTurn.ca.gov.
Vaccination clinics will be held at the following locations:
- Thursday at College of the Redwoods in Eureka, 7351 Tompkins Hill Road from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Friday at Six Rivers Brewery in McKinleyville, 1300 Central Ave. from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A $5 voucher for food and drink will be provided to those who get vaccinated at this clinic.
- Friday at ACE Hardware in McKinleyville, 2725 Central Ave. from 3 to 6 p.m. ACE will provide a $25 gift card to those who get vaccinated at this clinic.
- Saturday at the North Coast Stand Down at the Veterans Memorial Building in Eureka, 1018 H St. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sunday at the Blue Lake Resource Center, 111 Greenwood Ave. from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
More information can be found at humboldtgov.org/2749/Dashboard or 707-441-5000.