About one in seven Californians, 14.8 percent, received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, a positive sign after the start of one of the slowest vaccinations in the country.
In California, 19.1% of residents aged 18 or older received at least one dose of the vaccine, and 6% of all residents received both doses, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In total, 8,243,711 doses of vaccines were administered in California, 76 percent of the doses delivered, according to the state Department of Public Health.
At the same time, the seven-day average of new cases is at its lowest point since the beginning of November, at the beginning of a major winter wave that set new records for infections and deaths in the state. On Friday, California counties reported 6,975 new COVID-19 cases, according to data tracked by this news organization, for a seven-day average of 5,385 new cases daily.
Los Angeles County, the largest and hardest hit in the state, reported 1,758 new cases, San Bernardino County reported 743 cases and San Diego County 662 cases, followed by Santa Clara, Kern and Orange counties.
The number of inpatients with confirmed cases of COVID-19 is also improving. On Thursday, there were 5,590 patients, a 5.8% decline from the previous day and a 75% decline from the peak in early January. There are also 1,640 patients in intensive care unit beds with confirmed cases of COVID-19, a 4% decline from the previous day and a 66% decline from the peak in early January.
Despite the increase in vaccinations and the decline in case rates, deaths remain high in the state. On Thursday, counties reported 438 deaths in COVID-19. The state has a seven-day average of 423 daily deaths, although that average has increased by more than 800 deaths that occurred in Los Angeles County between December 3 and February 3, but were not included in public counts until Wednesday.
On Thursday, Los Angles County reported 139 deaths from COVID-19, San Bernardino reported 110 deaths and Fresno 21 deaths, followed by San Joaquin, Riverside and Alameda counties.
In the bay area, Santa Clara County recorded the majority of cases and, on Friday, added 396 cases and 12 deaths, for a total of 110,237 cases and 1,777 deaths since the start of the pandemic. Alameda County reported 191 cases and 17 deaths for a total of 80,279 cases and 1,241 deaths. Contra Costa County reported 203 cases and no new deaths for a total of 62,367 cases and 674 deaths.
San Mateo County reported 55 cases and 13 deaths for a total of 38,674 cases and 515 deaths, and San Francisco reported 131 cases and 12 deaths for 33,910 cases and 410 deaths.