San Diego County's dashboard tracks cases, hospitalization, ICU patients, deaths, as well as cases by city and zip code.

SAN DIEGO — Chula Vista resident Lorraine Cypher is one of several News 8 viewers who called in, asking why the county's COVID-19 data was not posted on a map by zip code.

“If we need to go to a particular area, either a pharmacy or grocery store, we would at least look into things and find out where the hot spots are and go around them,” Cypher said.

“It gives us an idea of what the city or area of the state looks like,” she said.

The County of San Diego released a Coronavirus disease dashboard that tracks cases, hospitalization, ICU patients, deaths, as well as cases by city and zip code. Launch the full dashboard in a new browser window.

The county released this zip code information with a warning to the public.

“It is just a snapshot into the limited testing that we have,” said San Diego County supervisor Nathan Fletcher.

Fletcher said there a huge number of unreported cases in San Diego county because widespread testing has not been done.

“And so the reality is the public should operate under the assumption that there are positive cases in every single zip code,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher pointed out there likely are 10 times as many cases countywide as those shown on the map.

“If somehow your zip code does not represent any positive cases, that does not mean there are no positive cases in your zip code. It just means there have been no positive cases that have been tested in your zip code,” he said.

Cypher said she is okay with that because having information makes her feel like she has some control in these uncertain times.

“I think we need to live our lives one day at a time, and we need to just pray for a good outcome,” she said.

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NEWS 8 joined forces with The San Diego Foundation to raise IMMEDIATE, EMERGENCY FUNDS for our most vulnerable neighbors in need. Here is how you can help.

Click here to view an interactive map of the current San Diego County cases of coronavirus/COVID-19 as they break down by zip code and city.

BACKGROUND:

According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.

Currently, there is no vaccine, however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, along with any other respiratory illness:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Stay home when you are sick.

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.

Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.

The CDC also says facemasks should only be used by people who show symptoms of the virus. If you’re not sick, you do not have to wear a facemask.