San Diego County health officials reported Tuesday that six more residents had died of COVID-19, bringing the region’s death toll to 53.

Three of the victims were men ages 63 to 86. The other three were women in the 81-100 age bracket.

Among all who have died, 22 were white, 16 were Latino, two were Asian, and one was multiracial. Race was not available in 12 cases.

Also Tuesday, the county logged an additional 83 cases of the novel coronavirus, for a new total of 1,930. No new outbreaks were reported, although county officials are tracking 31 clusters of cases. Those include 20 centered in congregate living facilities and 11 outbreaks in the community.


Health officials have long said the current number of COVID-19 cases are a poor reflection of actual cases in the region because of a lack of testing. More than 27,000 tests had been conducted and reported to the county as of Tuesday.

County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher announced Tuesday that the Lucky Duck Foundation, an organization dedicated to addressing homelessness, would fund COVID-19 tests for all homeless people sheltering at the San Diego Convention Center.

Beginning Thursday, 150 people at the shelter will be tested for the virus. Testing will ramp up to 250 tests a day until everyone has been screened.


Winkley writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.