Covid Becomes Third Leading Cause of Death in Santa Clara Co.

With at least 643 fatalities attributed to Covid-19 so far in 2020, the virus is projected to be the third leading cause of death in Santa Clara County.

“Let’s not forget the countless others who have loved ones in the hospital, and the healthcare workers trying to keep them alive as we speak,” county Supervisor Cindy Chavez said. “A simple family meal may seem harmless until it is too late. Please protect the ones you love by staying home and staying safe.”

Covid-19 deaths as of now lag behind only cancer and heart disease, which are projected to be the top two killers in Santa Clara County this year.

In mid-November—a week before Thanksgiving—an average of three people died per day due to Covid-19, according to county staff. A month later, that average increased to nearly six people per day. The county’s seven-day average positivity rate as of Dec. 13 was 7.7 percent, the highest since the pandemic began in March. That’s compared to 3.4 percent on Nov. 19, one week before Thanksgiving Day, and 1.3 percent on May 27.

County officials released the “grim milestone” as they issued another plea to residents to stay home, and resist the urge to celebrate Christmas Day and the New Year with friends and family. Public health experts worldwide have determined that Covid-19 spreads quickly when individuals gather with others from outside their households.

“This is not the data any of us wanted to share but it is the reality of where we are in this pandemic,” county Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said at a press conference earlier this week. “The numbers do not lie. We have now seen how Thanksgiving gatherings fueled the spread of the virus and we must slow it down now before it completely overwhelms our health systems. We are nearly at the breaking point.”

Nationwide, Covid-19 has taken more than 327,000 lives, according to Johns Hopkins University.

On Dec. 22, the Associated Press reported that 2020 is on track to see more deaths than any year in U.S. history. Deaths nationwide—from all causes—are expected to top 3 million for the first time. In 2019, total U.S. deaths numbered about 2.85 million, according to the AP report, which cites data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. After the official tally of deaths in 2020 is counted in the coming months, the number could amount to a 15 percent increase in fatalities from 2019.

Worldwide, Covid-19 has killed or contributed to the deaths of 1.7 million people, according to Johns Hopkins University.

County officials continue to urge residents to wear face coverings when in public and avoid gatherings with people outside their household.

6 Comments

  1. The lock down haven’t worked. The number of deaths “attributed” to COVID-19 doesn’t tell the whole story.

    One thing is for certain, the small and medium sized businesses were damaged beyond repair by the poor decisions of Dr Cody and Dr Smith.

    Politicians, like Dr Smith, are a joke. They lack a rigid backbone, character and compassion. Spend, Spend, Spend is all he knows.

  2. > Since there are 330,000,000 people in the U.S. that means it will be at least 2 years before we can approach enough people to START returning to normal, right?

    WRONG!

    Just for starters, probably around thirty percent of the population already has natural immunity.

    But, no one really knows. Anthony Fauci doesn’t know. Gavin Newsom doesn’t know. Sara Cody doesn’t know.

    The hysterical, fearful, moronic, partisan, jabber-womyn of daytime TV don’t know.

  3. > “Just for starters, probably around thirty percent of the population already has natural immunity.”

    > What PROOF do you have to support this?

    A. I said “probably”. I really don’t have to prove “probably”, especially on an entertainment blog.

    [Sorry, Jennifer and Dan, but SJI is really an entertainment website. Just like YouTube (“YouTube” actually bans “news”). There is no warranty on the “news” provided here, and customers believe it or not at their own risk.]

    B. I heard a doctor on a podcast assert the claim of thirty percent natural immunity.

    C. This is consistent with my knowledge of how immunology works. The body generates antibodies associated with any number of “active” molecules on a the surface of a virus. Different people produce different antibodies to the same virus.
    The COVID-19 virus likely has “active” molecules that are common to other non-COVID-18 viruses. People can generate immunity from exposure to similar or related viruses.

  4. LIVE FREE OR DIE!!!

    Man, this is so bogus what is happening.
    Numbers are false, whole thing is a sham. Doesn’t mean Covid is not real. Just govt and numbers way off. I mean, we shut down the entire country for what, .08% death rate? We need to stop driving cars, bicycles, skateboarding, fatty foods, working, living, etc. and just sit in our homes and do nothing. That will be the safest place for us all!

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