A person walks by a closed Banana Republic store on June 11, 2020 in San Francisco, California. Economic worries due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic continue as an additional 1.5 million people filed for first-time unemployment benefits in the past week.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images
The California Department of Public Health reported its second straight record jump in coronavirus cases on Wednesday as the state joins a handful of others with growing case numbers.
California reported an additional 7,149 Covid-19 cases since Tuesday, a 69% increase in two days, bringing the state’s total to 190,222 cases, according to the state’s health department. The previous highest day jump was reported on Tuesday when the state recorded 5,019 additional new cases.
“We cannot continue to do what we have done over the last number of weeks. Many of us understandably developed a little cabin fever, some I would argue developed a little amnesia, others have frankly taken down their guard,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said at press briefing.
California is one of 30 states where case numbers are growing by 5% or more based on a seven-day average, a CNBC analysis of data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The state’s seven-day average of new Covid-19 cases increased nearly 46% compared with a week ago, according to Hopkins data.
While the daily case numbers are growing, Gov. Gavin Newsom said that the state performed a record number of tests, nearly 96,000 in the last 24 hours, he said. The percent of tests coming back positive has slightly increased in the last two weeks, sitting at 5.1% on a 14-day average, he said.
Research shows that it can take anywhere from five to 12 days for people to show symptoms from the coronavirus, which could delay reporting.
“I want to remind people that we are still in the first wave of this pandemic,” Newsom said. “I want to remind each and every one of you of the importance and potency and power of your individual decision making.”
Hospitalizations from Covid-19 in California have increased 29% over the last 14 days, totaling 4,095 as of Tuesday. However, that’s still a fraction of the state’s total hospital capacity of more than 73,800 beds. Intensive-care unit admissions have increased 18% over the last two weeks, Newsom said.
Newsom reminded residents to continue wearing a face covering when in public. On Thursday, Newsom ordered all people in the state, with limited exceptions, to wear a mask when in most public places.
“We don’t want to see people fined,” Newsom said. “But we do want people to encourage others to be safe, not only for yourself but for others.”