Sonoma’s Latino community disproportionately impacted by coronavirus

New figures released Tuesday by the Sonoma County Department of Health show that the Latino community is being disproportionately impacted by the coronavirius, according to health officer Dr. Sundari Mase.

Citing new information posted on the 'dashboard' at socoemergency.com, Mase said, 'The finding is that we do have a disproportionate number of cases in the Hispanic or Latino population.'

The dashboard currently lists 59 percent of cases in what is listed as the 'Latino/Hispanic' community, while the population in the county is closer to 27 percent. 'It looks like our cases are about four times more likely in that population,' she said.

Another disproportionality affected population is in the 'White/non-Hispanic' category, with 33 infected with the coronavirus, compared to a population percentage close to 65 percent. Other ethnic groups show infection rates are comparable to their population percentage.

As of May 12, 141 cases — or, 59 percent — are in the Hispanic/Latino community, with 78 cases — 33 percent — in the 'White, non-Hispanic' category.

Mase said that the county is putting together a task force to do community outreach to address the disparity, and will be providing testing 'specifically for the Latinx group this weekend.' The health department plans to open two testing stations centrally located to those populations.

Mase said that drive-through and/or walk-up testing sites will be set up in two different locations – one in central Santa Rosa or Roseland, and another that will be decided upon later.

She said that the Sonoma Valley was one of the locations considered for a testing station.

'We hope to get a better idea of what's happening,' she said. She said the testing program will begin this weekend.

The newly available figures also show the prevalence of presenting symptoms of coronavirus, with cough, fever and headache all over 50 percent.

Seniors with coronavirus also have a higher percentage of underlying conditions, with 65 percent of victims aged 65 or older having at least one such condition ­— heart trouble, diabetes, lung diseases, hypertension, immunocompromised, or having been a smoker,

The ethnic data of affected populations was missing from earlier county figures, because the initial intake interview form from March did not request such information. Mase said they have since added the questions to the intake form, and done back-study to 'retrospectively collect the information.'

Though Mase generally refrains from drawing conclusions from information, she did address one possible reasons for the ethnic disparity - large family groups living in a single residence, at least in part because of the high cost of housing in Sonoma County.

'That may be driving the numbers, the large households,' she said in answer to a reporter's question. 'That's one of the analyses that we're doing.'

Someone with coronavirus who lives in a large household can protect other members of that household either by self-isolating in a bedroom with attached bath, or going to one of the county's alternate care sites, such as at Sonoma State University. People with positive tests are monitored by county case workers who can recommend and arrange for admission to such a facility.

Mase said that people with coronavirus are 'being made aware that's an option. Many people do not want to move, but it's not due to lack of awareness.'

This is a developing story.

Email Christian at christian.kallen@sonomanews.com.