COVID-19 cases are going up and down and back up again in Imperial County

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - The Imperial County Public Health Department (ICPHD) says COVID-19 cases are back up once again.

Jannette Angulo the director of public health says the reason for the fluctuation in the case rate is due to different factors, such as testing, and the actual spread of the virus.

"In the last week we fluctuated from a case rate of 242 to a case rate of 264, regardless it's high," she said.

Angulo says the case rate has been in the 200's since mid-January. She adds another reason for the up and down in cases being on Saturdays and Sundays, little to no testing is done.

ICPHD reports 4,290 active cases of COVID-19 across the Imperial Valley right now.

Dr. Tien Vo with Vo Medical Center says while his facility is starting to calm down, he is still taking no chances. Dr. Vo is making sure his staff is as healthy as possible before returning to work.

"If they have COVID-19 they go home for five days and come back when they are feeling better," he said.

Dr. Vo says he does not trust the CDC guidelines suggesting a health care worker can work with COVID-19 while asymptomaticf.

News 11's Wiley Jawhary will have your full COVID-19 update on the Evening Edition at 5 p.m. MST.