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Marin County health officials unveiled a new coronavirus data dashboard on Monday to help residents track variant activity in the region, following a surge in infections caused by the highly contagious delta variant.
Delta, believed to be up to twice as contagious as the original coronavirus, accounted for about 70% of cases in the past 30 days that have undergone genomic sequencing in the county, according to data collected by the health department .
Marin County reported 17 new infections on Friday – the highest single-day total since mid-April, according to Chronicle data. The rate of new daily cases has steadily increased since the state reopened on June 15, to around 3.5 cases per 100,000 people this week, from a minimum of less than one case per 100,000 people. .
“If you look back, you can see that there is obviously a disturbing trend towards more worrisome variants starting at the end of March,” said Dr. Matt Willis, the Marin County health worker. “We thought it was important for the community to see that we are seeing more and more variants that are more contagious.”
Even with 92% of all county residents receiving at least one dose of the vaccine, county officials said they saw a steady increase in cases and hospitalizations over the past month.
Twelve people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 in Marin County since June 1. All but one have not been vaccinated. The county has seen a significant drop in deaths; the two most recent deaths, reported in May, were from people who had not been vaccinated.
The new dashboard tracks the progress of the emerging variants through January 1 and clearly shows the rise of the Delta variant since its first identification in the county in April. In three months, it has gone from 20% of sequenced cases to more than 80% last week.
The county currently performs genomic sequencing, the process used to identify variants, in about half of the cases.
Officials said they have also detected the so-called delta-plus variant of the virus, which may be even more easily transmitted than delta, although the mutation is not as well understood as delta.
“There is a reason to watch this closely. We’re all learning that the behavior of these variants warrants monitoring the impact on the population, ”said Willis. Genomic sequencing and public dashboard tracking variants are “the best way to find out what this variant is doing in this community.”
“It is important that the public follow with us,” he said. “There may be policy changes as a result. We may need to rethink our policies regarding face covers and a possible third dose of vaccine. “
He added that the increase in cases attributed to delta validates the state’s decision last week to require masks in K-12 classrooms in the fall, contrary to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control. and Prevention that vaccinated students and staff do not need to wear them. .
Nationally, the delta variant accounts for more than half of all cases, and it is leading to outbreaks of infections, along with increasing hospitalizations, in many areas. Areas with very low vaccination rates are particularly affected.
The variant is expected to account for about 40% of cases in California.
“This variant has legs that go beyond the previous variants,” Willis said.
Aidin Vaziri is a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected]
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