Sonoma County reports 9 more COVID-19 deaths for August, deadliest month since winter surge

Nine newly reported COVID-19 deaths from August added Thursday to the deadliest period for Sonoma County since the winter surge, with the toll of lives lost last month now at 30 — rivaling the darkest days of the pandemic more than seven months ago.

The spike in deaths comes even as the rate of coronavirus transmission appears to be decreasing locally. Still, health officials said fallout from the summer surge is likely to continue, with even more deaths from August expected due to a delay of at least a week in reporting COVID-19 deaths.

“It’s very tragic that we're having preventable deaths in our community,” said Dr. Sundari Mase, the county’s health officer. “We continue to see more deaths among unvaccinated people.”

On Thursday morning, just before 8 a.m., officials reported the latest five pandemic-related deaths from August. Six hours later, officials added four more from August.

Six of the nine people whose death’s were counted in Thursday’s update were not vaccinated, officials said.

Mase said the many of the deaths among unvaccinated residents are among a much younger population than at previous periods in the pandemic. But those who are vaccinated and die of COVID-19 complications are much older with severe underlying health issues, she said.

Lucinda Gardner, a county epidemiologist, said the median age of unvaccinated residents who have died since July 1 after contracting the virus was 61. She said the median age for vaccinated residents who died of COVID-19 during that same period was 75.

February, which marked the tail end of the winter surge, saw 31 COVID-19 deaths.

The nine COVID-19 deaths reported Thursday include two unvaccinated homeless men between 50 and 64 who died Aug. 11 and Aug. 27.

The nine fatalities also include an unvaccinated man over 79 who died Aug. 13; an unvaccinated man over 69 who died Aug. 17; an unvaccinated woman over 69 who died Aug. 18; and an unvaccinated woman over 79 who died Aug. 19.

Officials said three of the nine were vaccinated, including a man over 69 who died on Aug. 26; a man between 50 and 64 who died Aug. 26; and a man over 69 who died Aug. 30.

All nine people were hospitalized and all but the homeless man who died Aug. 27 had underlying health conditions, officials said.

On Thursday, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office reported one of their veteran staff had died on Wednesday of COVID-19 complications. The death of Correctional Lt. Bobby Travelstead, 40, has yet to be reported by public health officials.

With Travelstead, Sonoma County’s pandemic death toll stands at 366.

With more coronavirus deaths from August likely to be reported in the coming days, last month is on track to surpass February for pandemic fatalities.

In December and January, there were 51 and 68 COVID-19 deaths, respectively. January was the county’s monthly peak for coronavirus fatalities.

Local health officials hope that a recent trend in declining virus transmission and COVID-19 hospitalizations will result in fewer deaths in the fall. Deaths usually lag virus infections by a month or more.

You can reach Staff Writer Martin Espinoza at 707-521-5213 or martin.espinoza@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @pressreno.