SACRAMENTO – A teenager in the Central Valley has died. The teen’s death was COVID-19 related, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

This is the first death in California of a teenager, and this young person had underlying health conditions. Due to patient confidentiality, CDPH will not provide any additional information about this death. There have been no reported deaths in younger age categories, including children 5 and under.

“Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones of this young person whose death is a tragic and powerful reminder of how serious COVID-19 can be,” Dr. Sonia Angell, State Public Health Officer and Director of the California Department of Public Health, said in a prepared statement.

The most recent statistics on COVID-19 are as follows:

  • The 7-day average number of new cases is 8,322 per day. The 7-day average from the week prior was 9,881. California has 493,588 confirmed cases to date. Numbers may not represent true day-over-day change as reporting of test results can be delayed.
  • There have been 7,811,041 tests conducted in California. This represents an increase of 177,201 over the prior 24-hour reporting period. As testing capacity continues to increase across the state, an increase in the number of positive cases has been expected – increasing the importance of positivity rates to find signs of community spread.
  • As case numbers continue to rise in California, the total number of individuals who will have serious outcomes will also increase. There have been 9,005 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
  • A total of 37 counties are required to close indoor operations for certain sectors based on the July 13 order to slow community transmission.

Note on Hospitalization Numbers

Since July 23, hospitalization numbers reflect a change in reporting requirements that were implemented last week by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The change resulted in historical data from eight non-reporting facilities not being part of recent updates, resulting in lower numbers. This data will be added back in as soon as it is available.

Each week, the California Department of Public Health updates the number of cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) reported in the state. As of July 28, 25 cases of MIS-C have been reported statewide. To protect patient confidentiality in counties with fewer than 11 cases, we are not providing total counts at this time.

MIS-C is a rare inflammatory condition associated with COVID-19 that can damage multiple organ systems. MIS-C can require hospitalization and be life threatening. Parents should be aware of the signs and symptoms of MIS-C including fever that does not go away, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes or feeling tired. Contact your child’s doctor immediately if your child has these symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment of patients is critical to preventing long-term complications.

 

 

 

 

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