San Diego County's state-reported COVID-19 numbers Tuesday dipped low enough to set the region on a path to lift some COVID-19 restrictions as soon as next week.
The county remains in the orange tier of the state's four-tiered, color-coded reopening plan. On Tuesday, the state reported the county's adjusted case rate was 1.7 new daily cases per 100,000 population — low enough to qualify for the yellow tier, the state's least restrictive. That is an improvement from last week's 2.4 new cases per 100,000.
The county's testing positivity rate is 1.3% and the health equity quartile positivity rate — the rate a county's most vulnerable quarter of people are testing positive for the virus — is 1.5%, both low enough to be in the yellow tier. Those rates have dropped from 1.5% and 1.8% from last week.
However, to land in the yellow tier next Tuesday, the county would need to report an average of fewer than two new cases per 100,000 for another week.
The state plans to lift most COVID-19-related limitations on June 15, no matter where the counties fall in those above metrics at the time.
RELATED: Tracking COVID-19 In San Diego County
San Diego County reported 51 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths Tuesday, increasing the county's case total to 280,304. The death toll remains 3,756.
Of 5,233 tests reported Tuesday, 1% returned positive and the two-week rolling average remains 0.7%.
The number of hospitalizations increased by three to 109, with 43 of those in intensive care — up from 39 reported Monday. There are 52 available, staffed ICU beds in the county.
As of Tuesday, 1,536,829 San Diego County residents 12 and older were fully vaccinated with either two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna coronavirus vaccine or the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, 54.8% of the 2,802,851 people in the group, officials reported.
The goal is to have 75% of the group fully vaccinated.
There are 1,949,258 San Diego County residents who have received at least one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
More than 4.09 million doses have been received by the county, with more than 3.68 million administered.
A full list of available vaccination sites can be found online.
