California cases flattening, says Bay Area expert — but data glitch raises doubts - San Francisco Chronicle

The rate of new coronavirus cases in California appears to be plateauing, a Bay Area infectious disease expert said Wednesday, although a major technical problem affecting the electronic data system used by state and local health departments has cast doubt on the accuracy of some numbers.

Citing monitoring of cases by cities and counties, coronavirus-related hospitalizations and the number of beds open in intensive-care units, Rutherford said new infections in the state do seem to be leveling off.

The glitch with the state electronic case reporting system, known as CalREDIE, short for the California Reportable Disease Information Exchange, has led to questions about whether the state is undercounting coronavirus cases.

Other health experts said that given the data reporting problems, it was difficult to tell how well the state is doing.

The state has not said when the problem began or how far back the data are compromised, but Cody said it may be affecting case counts as far back as mid-July.

Rutherford, however, said that the reliable data show that the state’s reimposition of shutdowns of several business sectors is helping stem the spread of the virus.

Summertime travelers are also spreading the virus to places that had largely been spared, including the Mammoth Lakes area on the eastern side of the Sierra and Lassen County in northeastern California, Rutherford said.

Rutherford said California is a long way from being in the clear.