Despite a recent rise in the rate of COVID-19 cases, Stanislaus County will remain in the red tier, according to the California Department of Public’s Health tier assignment review.

Stanislaus County has not yet met the case rate metric for the red tier, but repeatedly has qualified through the testing positivity rate.

Stanislaus County had a new COVID-19 case rate per 100,000 residents of 10.6 percent. The testing positivity rate was at 4.5 percent and a health equity positivity rate of 5 percent, according to the CDPH.

The red tier metric for new case rate is 10 percent. Because Stanislaus has not met that Mark, it’s important the county continues to meet the mark for testing.

“Testing helps provide a better surveillance for community spread and to check on asymptomatic spread,” said Stanislaus County Health Services Agency spokesperson Kamlesh Kaur. “Many COVID-19 spreaders are asymptomatic. It also helps in keeping the positivity rate low. We could slide back to purple if our positivity rate continues to increase as it has this week. This is in major part due to reduced testing. We encourage community members to continue testing so we can prevent the spread and continue to progress through the tiers.”

With Merced County taken out of the purple tier, there are no counties in the most restrictive tier in California.

Statewide the new COVID-19 case rate was at 5 percent per 100,000 residents and the testing positivity rate was 1.3 percent.

Since Friday, Stanislaus County has added 316 COVID-19 positive cases, with 135 added on Monday.

As of Tuesday, Stanislaus County has recorded 54,100 positive cases and 1,032 deaths.

As of April 15, individuals aged 16 years and older are eligible to make an appointment to be vaccinated. To sign up for a notification when you’re eligible for a vaccine, visit myturn.ca.gov.