Alameda County has been added to the state’s list of counties being monitored for rises in confirmed novel coronavirus cases, county health officials said Sunday.
Counties already on the watch list include Contra Costa, Marin and Solano.
Alameda County had a continued increase in reported COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, and the magnitude of the change is above what would be expected as a result of the county’s testing expansion, the Alameda County Health Care Services Agency said.
Counties that are on the watch list are required to close indoor activities in buildings including dine-in restaurants, wineries and tasting rooms, movie theaters, zoos and museums.
After three consecutive days on the monitoring list, counties are subject to state-imposed restrictions and enforcement.
The enforcement is done by multi-agency strike teams launched by the state July 1. The teams include the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, the Department of Public Health and the Division of Occupational Safety and Health.
While Alameda County has the highest number of cases among Bay Area counties, the County’s case rate is 3rd highest in the Bay Area and less than half of California’s overall case rate at the time of writing, the Alameda County Health Care Services Agency said.