BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Kern County Public Health announces an increase in COVID rates at a "more rapid pace."

Public Health Director Brynn Carrigan told the Kern County Board of Supervisors that the case rate of 2.5 per 100,000 people of one week ago has risen to 6.6 per 100,000. The testing positivity rate has also increased from 2.5 percent to 4.5 percent.

The health equity positivity rate has gone from 2.2 percent to 5.8 percent.

The county continues to do better in regards to the state as a whole. The current case rate for California is 11.2 per 100,000 people with the testing positivity rate at 5.3 percent.

Carrigan went on to say that the majority of the transmissions are taking place among the unvaccinated. Since January 21st, Kern County has had 18,742 confirmed cases. Of those only 128 (.7 percent) were among people who were considered fully vaccinated.

There were 1,433 COVID hospitalizations since January 21st and less than 11 were of those fully vaccinated. One week ago, Kern County had 34 COVID hospitalizations with 7 in the ICU. That increased from 59 to 80 in one day.