Coronavirus cases, deaths continue to decline as flu season begins

Sep. 20--New coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continued to decline across California as public health officials on Sunday reported the first cases of influenza in the Bay Area, a potential complication as the nation and state continue to battle COVID-19.

Across California, counties reported 3,568 new coronavirus cases and 76 new deaths, both numbers dipping below the averages of 3,523 cases and 93 deaths the state has seen over the past 7 days.

The Bay Area continued to creep toward its own grim marker of 100,000 cases overall, as the region's total climbed by 713 cases Saturday for a total of 98,025. Officials in the nine-county area also reported seven new deaths, for a total of 1,403 deaths overall. The Bay Area this week had an average of 545 new cases daily and about 16 deaths, based on numbers gathered by this news organization, .

The newest numbers came a day after Santa Clara County passed 20,000 COVID-19 cases, joining Alameda County as the second Bay Area county to reach the milestone.

Alameda County reported 130 new cases and 4 new deaths on Saturday, bringing the county's total to 20,494 cases and 374 deaths. Santa Clara County reported 123 new cases and one new death for a total of 20,252 cases and 296 deaths.

Contra Costa County reported 101 new cases on Saturday and no new deaths for a total of 15,835 cases and 199 deaths.

In San Francisco, public health officials reported 56 cases and 1 death, about average for this week bringing the total to 10,696 cases and 97 deaths. San Mateo County reported 190 new cases and 1 new death for a total of 9,522 cases and 143 deaths.

Across the state 3,510 people have been hospitalized for COVID-19 and 970 people are in intensive care units, both well below the most recent peak on July 21, when 2,284 people packed the state's ICUs and 8,820 COVID-19 patients were being treated at hospitals.

Experts say the precautions many people have adopted to slow the spread of the coronavirus -- wearing masks, washing hands more frequently, and practicing social distancing -- will also help control the flu. Bay Area public health organizations and others are offering free flu shots as the season begins.

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