PLACER COUNTY, Calif. (KTXL) — Placer County Public Health officials issued a health warning Wednesday as local hospitals treat a record number of COVID-19 patients, most of them unvaccinated.

The state’s COVID-19 data shows 12 available intensive care unit beds available in Placer County as room in hospitals narrows and “strained” health care workers are resorting to unconventional areas to treat patients who need critical care.

Almost one-third of all hospital beds in Placer County are now occupied by COVID-19 patients. By Tuesday, county hospitals were treating 233 COVID-19 patients, more than were recorded during the pandemic’s late-December spike. The 14-day average of hospitalized patients was at 208.8.

The county has also reported a record number of ICU patients, with 51 hospitalized Tuesday.

Placer County Public Health is also worried now that students have returned to school and COVID-19 is making its way through classrooms.

During its first full week of instruction, Rocklin Unified School District said 403 students showed symptoms and 50 tested positive for COVID-19.

To help in the fight against the delta variant, public health officials want Placer County residents to wear high-quality masks, regardless of their vaccination status. Wednesday’s release recommends using surgical or KN95 masks.

“Our individual actions during this Delta surge are impacting everyone, including those seeking health care or in-person instruction,” said Interim Health Officer Dr. Rob Oldham. “Placer County Public Health stands behind organizations who take precautions to support our community’s efforts to preserve key infrastructure such as implementing universal indoor masking, which is much less disruptive than other restrictions experienced during the pandemic.”