Marin County Public Health Status Update for July 19, 2024, includes Global IT Outage Impact on Local Health System; COVID Hospitalizations Surge in Marin County; H5N1 Update; Gun Violence and Public Health; 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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Global IT Outage Impact on Local Health System
A global CrowdStrike cyber security software update yesterday, July 18, has led to ongoing IT outages globally. Marin Public Health has been in contact with hospitals and first responders to determine impact on local healthcare infrastructure. Marin County 911 and Emergency Medical Services operations have been unaffected. Marin hospitals have not experienced sustained, substantive clinical or operational impact. This was not a security incident or cyberattack, and there is no sign that patient information was compromised. Marin Public Health will continue to monitor the situation.
COVID Hospitalizations Surge in Marin County
The number of patients with COVID 19 in Marin County hospitals increased from 11 to 23 last week. This surpasses the hospitalization rate of the 2023-2024 winter surge. Those currently hospitalized are characterized by older age and chronic medical conditions. The concentration of virus in wastewater has leveled off, signaling the possibility of a plateau in the summer surge. Marin Public Health recommends vaccination now for residents over age 60 who have not received a COVID vaccine in the past 6 months, rather than waiting for the fall formulation.
H5N1 Update
As the national H5N1 (“bird flu”) outbreak continues, local surveillance systems are gaining visibility on potential virus activity in our community. As of July 15, 2024, there has been no detection if H5N1 in Marin County wastewater, raw milk or any clinical samples for potential human infections. Enhanced local surveillance will allow timely response if and when local virus activity increases.
Gun Violence and Public Health
Last month, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared gun violence a national public health crisis. Local physicians in the San Francisco Marin Medical Society have a long history of advocacy against gun violence, advocating for gun safety research, policies to reduce suicide by requiring safe storage of firearms, and opposition to censorship of physicians discussing firearm safety. In Marin County, gun safety and suicide prevention are strongly linked, because more people die from suicide involving a firearm than from homicides or accidents. The Marin County Suicide Prevention Collaborative has established a Lethal Means Action Team. focusing on firearm safety.
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 | KP.2, JN.1 |
|---|
| Marin County COVID-19 Hospitalizations | Today’s Report |
|---|---|
|
Hospitalized Patients |
23 |
|
ICU Patients |
1 |
| Settings Experiencing Outbreaks | Today’s Report |
|---|---|
|
Long-Term Care and Congregate Living Facilities |
12 |
|
Schools and Childcare |
2 |
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