Los Angeles (AFP)

Cited as an example for its management of the pandemic at the start of the health crisis, California must now face, like many other American states, a worrying resurgence of Covid-19 cases, especially among young people.

The first state to have ordered general containment at the end of March, California has also put the pack on its ability to test potential patients, a key element to curb the epidemic according to specialists.

Since the start of the crisis, some 3.7 million Californians - out of a total population of 40 million - have been screened. And about 100,000 tests were performed daily this week.

Would the intensity of the tests suffice to statistically explain the increase in Covid-19 cases? Partly only, say the experts.

"The fact that there is also an increase in the number of hospitalizations (...) also means that there are more transmissions", according to Dr. Lee Riley, epidemiologist at the University of California at Berkeley.

According to Governor Gavin Newsom, the number of hospital patients linked to Covid-19 infection has jumped 32% in the past two weeks, reaching 4,240 people.

Probable causes are difficult to pinpoint precisely, but all eyes are on a slackening of behavior, particularly among the youngest.

"We cannot continue as we have done for the past few weeks," warned Governor Newsom, who has made it mandatory to wear a mask throughout the state since last week.

- "Selfish" -

Officially, the instructions always prohibit members of different households from meeting in the same enclosed space. But with the gradual reopening of the economy, restaurants and gyms included, Californians have long since started to meet again for birthdays, barbecues or trips to the beach.

"I am not naive, people are mixing and this is increasing the spread of this virus," said Gavin Newsom.

"We have to recognize that it is our behavior that leads to these numbers (on the rise) and that we are putting lives in danger," he insisted.

The infected patients are "getting younger and younger," said the governor, who spoke directly to them: "You are young, so you feel a bit invincible. But with all due respect. , this mindset is often selfish. "

"Even though they are not most at risk for severe forms of the disease, they are most at risk for spreading it," warned Dr. Barbara Ferrer, health manager for Los Angeles County , main focus of Covid-19 in California.

- Carried away by the crowd -

Another factor that could explain the increase in the spread of the virus: anti-racist demonstrations denouncing the death of George Floyd under the knee of a policeman at the end of May, which brought together tens of thousands of people for long hours, often without physical distance.

Although it is difficult to insure, "I mean it is very likely, given the increase we are seeing, that these are people who may have been in a crowd during one demonstrations, "said Dr. Ferrer.

However, Governor Newsom has not yet expressed any intention of backtracking or imposing targeted confinements.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the US government's most listened to expert on the pandemic, agreed with him recently. "I don't think the state of California is doing anything wrong, it has to do with people's reaction to the reopening process," said director of the United States Institute of Infectious Diseases.

"If you do not keep your distance, that you do not wear a mask, that you reopen too early, you will witness a peak in the number of cases, it is not rocket science," adds Professor Anne Rimoin, epidemiologist and public health specialist at UCLA University in Los Angeles.

"The reality is that we are going to have many more cases and many more deaths if we are not all careful," said the Ebola specialist.

To date, nearly 200,000 cases in total have been recorded in California, with more than 5,700 deaths.

© 2020 AFP