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San Francisco health officials report sharp rise in COVID cases, urge renewed testing and outreach
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Summary
DPH officials told the Health Commission that COVID-19 cases and the effective reproduction number have climbed rapidly in July, hospitalizations are rising more slowly, and vaccination uptake has slowed; officials urged targeted testing, masking recommendations across Bay Area counties and community outreach to under‑vaccinated groups.
San Francisco Department of Public Health leaders reported a rapid rise in COVID‑19 cases at the July 20 Health Commission meeting and urged renewed testing, targeted outreach and monitoring of hospitalizations.
Deputy Director Dr. Navina Bhabha said case rates rose sharply in recent weeks — an approximately eightfold increase over four weeks in non‑lagged data — and the city’s reproduction number (R) has climbed to about 1.6. Hospitalizations remain lower than case growth would predict but are rising from summer lows; Dr. Bhabha said the hospital census increased from single digits to roughly 43 patients, noting that about 43% of current hospitalized patients originate from outside San Francisco.
The department flagged persistent racial disparities: recent case rates and hospitalizations are disproportionately higher among Black/African American and Latinx residents, and the Southeast sector (including Bayview‑Hunters Point) remains heavily impacted. Dr. Bhabha summarized city data showing vaccinated people had far lower case and hospitalization rates during April 1–July 8: roughly 5.8 cases per 100,000 among vaccinated people versus 15 per 100,000 among unvaccinated, and 4 hospitalizations among fully vaccinated people compared with 74 among those not fully vaccinated in that window.
Commissioners pressed for specifics about testing access and messaging. Commissioner Christian and others asked about availability for working people and for neighborhoods north of Lincoln Boulevard; Dr. Bhabha said city testing assets remain concentrated in vulnerable communities but that the department is working with health‑care systems to expand access and to promote rapid tests for symptomatic people. On reporting of home rapid tests, Dr. Bhabha said the city is weighing how to encourage people who test positive to connect with health providers or DPH so cases can be captured for contact tracing.
When asked about masking and school reopening, Dr. Bhabha said several neighboring Bay Area counties had issued mask recommendations and San Francisco is monitoring whether those measures slow transmission; she said SFUSD was planning a mid‑August reopening and DPH school teams are coordinating on operational guidance, masking and triage for symptomatic students. Outreach to younger adults (25–34) — the city’s least‑vaccinated adult group — includes peer‑led campaigns (‘‘Max the Vax’’), SF State community ambassadors and partnership with community organizations to counter misinformation.
The department cautioned that the Delta variant is likely a major contributor to the uptick. Officials emphasized vaccines remain highly protective against hospitalization and death and urged continued focus on outreach in communities with lower coverage.
The commission did not take formal action on new mandates; members asked DPH staff to return with further information and to continue targeted testing and outreach work.
