SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Santa Cruz County on Monday identified 22 new Covid-19 cases, breaking its previous single-day record (21) set just a week ago.
There are now 129 active cases in the county and there have been 379 cases overall. Of those residents that have contracted the disease, 247 have recovered. Three have died, though the county said the disease was not the primary cause of death in the most recent passing of an elderly Mid-County man in hospice care.
The county has conducted more than 17,000 tests.
Cases in Watsonville continue to rise. The county’s southernmost city has accounted for 204 of the county’s cases—roughly 53%, despite holding only 25% of the population. There have been 20 new cases over the last five days in the Watsonville area.
Nineteen county residents have been hospitalized with Covid-19 over the last 14 days.
There have also been 28 Covid-19 cases in the small communities of the northern reaches of Monterey County—Pajaro, Las Lomas and Aromas. Many residents from these towns work, shop and have family in Watsonville.
Cases in the neighboring county have topped 1,600. There have been 15 deaths and 999 recoveries. Nearly 600 of those cases have been in agriculture workers.
Monterey County Health Officer Edward Moreno in a Monday press briefing said he fully expects the county to be placed on the state’s “Watch List.” Most counties placed on that list by Gov. Gavin Newsom and state health officials have had to reverse course in the reopening process.
