Marin County Public Health Status Update for May 31, 2024, includes H5N1 Webpage Launched; Social Isolation; Wastewater Surveillance; FLiRT Variant and Vaccine; and COVID-19 Data Update.
The Marin County Public Health Status Update is published weekly to share news and resources related to pandemic response and recovery, emergency preparedness, and other public health priorities.
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H5N1 Webpage Launched
Today, Marin County Public Health launched an H5N1 bird flu webpage to keep the public informed about the evolving national outbreak. There are no reported cases of H5N1 bird flu in cows or humans in California, and H5N1 has not been detected in Marin County wastewater. The risk to the public remains low. For more information, visit the CDC’s H5N1 Bird Flu: Current Situation Summary.
Social Isolation
Marin County has one of the demographically oldest populations in California. An increasing body of evidence indicates that social isolation in older age accelerates disability directly and contributes to preventable mortality. In his 2023 report, "Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation," U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy reports that loneliness in older age is associated with a 29% increased risk of heart disease, a 32% increased risk of stroke, and a 50% increased risk of developing dementia. The 2023 Marin County older adult community needs assessment, conducted by Health and Human Services’ Office of Aging and Adult Services, found that one in three older adults in Marin is socially isolated. Please stay connected to older adult friends, neighbors and family as this has a profound effect on health and well-being, both individually and collectively.
Wastewater Surveillance
Last week’s Status Update noted that we are now using wastewater to monitor for H5N1 bird flu. In the first two weeks of this monitoring, no H5N1 was detected. Marin County is one of the first jurisdictions to use wastewater for monitoring infectious disease patterns. Marin communities are represented in WastewaterSCAN, a national program that monitors and reports levels of 12 important pathogens. We will be adding a chart of H5 wastewater levels to our dashboard next week. You can view information for all currently available pathogen levels on our wastewater dashboard.
FliRT Variant and Vaccine
In the first two weeks of May, Marin saw an uptick in COVID-19 circulating in the wastewater which corresponded with an increase in hospitalization rates. This has since plateaued. However, with the new FLiRT variant circulating, it is important for older adults and medically vulnerable individuals to stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines. A second shot is recommended if it has been more then six months since their initial updated COVID-19 vaccine.
COVID-19 Data Update
Below is a snapshot of local COVID-19 data. Find a more in-depth analysis of COVID-19 trends on the Marin Data & Surveillance webpage, our Data FAQ, or Marin County's Open Data Portal.
| Actively Circulating Variants | B.1.1/BA.1, KP.2 |
|---|
| Marin County COVID-19 Hospitalizations | Today’s Report |
|---|---|
|
Hospitalized Patients |
4 |
|
ICU Patients |
1 |
| Settings Experiencing Outbreaks | Today’s Report |
|---|---|
|
Long-Term Care and Congregate Living Facilities |
3 |
|
Schools and Childcare |
1 |
Resource Link Library
What to do if...
You’ve tested Positive or you've been exposed to someone with COVID-19
Online Resources
Vaccine locations | Vaccine Information | Free COVID-19 testing | Marin COVID-19 Data | State COVID-19 Data | State Variant Data | CDC Community Transmission Data
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