San Andreas, CA…On Tuesday, August 18, 2020 Calaveras Public Health reported 7 new cases of COVID-19 in Calaveras County. The additional cases include one female between 0 to 17 years of age, two females between 18 to 49 years of age, two females between 50-64 years of age, and one female and one male over the age of 65. Districts 1 and 2 each had two cases, Districts 3, 4, and 5 each had one case.

“On August 17th Calaveras was put on the County Monitoring List. Despite this setback we can turn this around. It requires people to commit to doing what we know works to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Practice physical distancing, wear a face covering, get tested, wash your hands often, stay home if you are sick, and avoid any gatherings where physical distancing and masking is not being followed,” said Dr. Dean Kelaita, Calaveras County Health Officer. “This virus spreads mainly person-to-person. If everyone takes these steps we can prevent the spread and be on a path to reopen those areas back up.”

To date, Calaveras Public Health has reported 181 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Of those cases, 160 cases have since recovered while 20 cases remain active. There has been one reported death related to COVID-19 in Calaveras County.

The best ways to avoid exposure to the virus are to:
 Stay home if you are sick
 Stay at least 6 feet away from people outside of your household
 Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
 Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
 Wear a face covering over your nose and mouth when around others

Calaveras Public Health staff continues to investigate new cases to determine any possible persons who may have had close personal contact with the positive individuals. Close contacts may be contacted by the health department, assessed and monitored for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 illness.

Symptoms can appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
 Fever or chills
 Cough
 Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
 Fatigue
 Muscle or body aches
 Headache
 New loss of taste or smell
 Sore throat
 Congestion or runny nose
 Nausea or vomiting
 Diarrhea

Look for emergency warning signs for COVID-19. If someone is showing signs, seek emergency care immediately:
 Trouble breathing
 New confusion or weakness
 Bluish lips or face
 Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
 Inability to wake or stay awake

No-cost testing for COVID-19 is available to anyone who would like to get tested. The OptumServe COVID-19 testing site located at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds is open Tuesday-Saturday from 7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. Testing is now available to those age 3 and older. People are highly encouraged to register online. People without Internet access should call (888) 634-1123. To receive information and resources related to COVID-19 visit the Calaveras County COVID-19 website.