Kern County Public Health urging residents to get tested as latest COVID-19 numbers jump

Kern County health officials are urging residents to get tested at the new federal testing site at the fairgrounds and for those who've recovered to donate convalescent plasma. This comes as the latest numbers jumped above 1,000 new cases.

County Administrative Officer Ryan Alsop also warned businesses operating outside of the state guidance that strike teams are in Kern County and he said they are watching what's happening.

Questions are still swirling regarding the handling of test results and possible inaccuracies as raised by health officials but Alsop said the problems had no impact on Kern County being on the state's monitoring list.

The county announced 1,067 new cases in the last 24 reporting period pushing the total number of cases to more than 18,400. More than 5,500 patients have fully recovered with another 12,500 people isolating at home. Public health announced four new deaths bringing that total now in Kern County to 139.

According to public health 11,645 of the total positive cases are in the 18 to 49-year-old age group. There are also 220 people hospitalized by COVID. Another 61 people have officially recovered from the virus bringing that total to 5,527.

While the number of people who are isolating at home went up by exactly 1,000 to 12,525. More than 105,000 or 84-percent of all tests have come back negative.