The first death in Alameda County due to the coronavirus occurred over the weekend, the county’s public health officer announced on Monday. The identity of the patient and where they live is not yet known.
The death comes after a spike in the number of coronavirus cases reported in Alameda County since last Friday.
In the Bay Area, 772 cases of the coronavirus have been documented, as of Monday morning. Among those, 106 cases are in Alameda County.
The decedent was described as being an older individual with underlining medical issues, said Dr. Erica Pan, Alameda County interim public health officer. The virus is believed to have been community-acquired, she added.
“We’re seeing a dramatic rate of rise in our community,” Pan told the an Alameda County Board of Supervisor health committee on Monday morning.
Early signs of whether the state’s shelter in place order is having an effect in Alameda County is likely to come this week, Pan said. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order began on Mar. 17. The average length of time the virus incubates is roughly 5-6 days, she added.
It’s unclear why the rise in new reported cases spiked over the weekend from under 50 to over 100, she said, but it’s likely a combination of the virus spreading through the community and the ramping up of more testing.
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