SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif — Here are the latest updates on coronavirus and how local governments are responding to the illness, with a focus on California for Wednesday, April 1
CALIFORNIA STATUS UPDATE
The California Department of Public Health reports:
- Confirmed cases: 6,932 (As of 2 p.m. March 31).
- 150 deaths
- 22 state and county labs processing tests for COVID-19. As of March 31, approximately 86,100 tests have been conducted. (This week’s cumulative testing numbers are lower than last week due to an inadvertent over-reporting error discovered by one of the private labs)
- Click here for complete information on coronavirus, unemployment, and more from the state of California.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- Hundreds of California cities are asking the governor to suspend or delay a host of state laws, citing the unprecedented challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic. The request by the League of California Cities includes everything from environmental rules to public records laws that give people a window into how the government spends public money. League spokeswoman Kayla Woods says cities are only seeking a waiver for documents not related to the coronavirus response, but local governments have already denied some requests. She says cities are focusing on responding to the public health crisis. Gov. Gavin Newsom's office did not respond to a query about whether he is considering the suspensions.
- Sac City Unified secures 20,000 chromebooks for distance learning: Plans for distance learning are coming along at Sacramento City Unified School District. As labor unions and the district negotiate on the proposed April 13 start date for classes, the district secured 20,000 Chromebooks for students and have started training for teachers. “We commend our educators for their efforts to take on this new challenge. We know that time is of the essence and we want to ensure the SCUSD community that we are working round the clock to provide students with an equitable solution for learning during this unprecedented health crisis,” said Sac City Unified Superintendent Jorge Aguilar.
- Coronavirus uptick continues in Stanislaus County: Officials in Stanislaus County have confirmed 39 coronavirus cases. There have been no deaths in the county so far.
- Veterans home employee diagnosed with coronavirus: An employee at a Redding veterans home has tested positive for the coronavirus. The employee worked at the Veterans Home of California-Redding. The employee was last at the home on March 26, however no residents or staff members are showing symptoms of the virus. The California Department of Veterans Affairs says they will be monitoring the residents regularly.
- Elk Grove closes playgrounds: Elk Grove joins a growing list of cities that have closed their playgrounds and park amenities to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Currently, officials say there are 31 cases in Elk Grove. “Outdoor recreation continues to be an important way for people to stay healthy and manage stress, but we must do it safely and with proper physical distancing,” said Joshua Green, General Manager for Cosumnes CSD. “After careful consideration, we determined that we must provide clear guidance to Elk Grove residents, followed by visible actions, to keep people safe and slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community.”
- Plumas County confirms first coronavirus case: Plumas County officials have confirmed their first case of coronavirus in the county. Officials said it was found in the east area of Plumas County, and they have begun an investigation to see if anyone else was exposed.
- California prisons will begin releasing low-level inmates in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the facilities. State officials are estimating up to 3,500 people would be eligible for an expedited parole. The plan announced on Tuesday would include expediting parole-eligible inmates who have 60 days or less to serve on their sentences. Inmates not serving time for violent crimes, sex offenses or domestic violence would not be eligible.
- Nearly 700 people have cases serious enough that they need to be in an ICU. The positive news? That number tripled over the course of nearly a week instead of overnight. The numbers are running on “the low end” of the state’s models, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom, but he warned that can always change. "Modeling means nothing if individuals don’t continue to practice physical distancing," Newsom said. The governor made a point of saying that some predictions of a mid-April nationwide peak in COVID-19 cases do not apply to California, where the state estimates a peak in May. State and federal authorities are setting up field hospitals and working to identify large venues that can house more patients, if needed. California estimates it could need 50,000 new hospital beds in a first phase, but if the virus spreads rapidly, more could be needed. Newsom said the state plans to issue guidance about expanding the use of masks, possibly recommending them for people to wear when doing essential tasks like grocery shopping. That issue arises even as the state works to fill a shortage of masks and other protective equipment for healthcare workers, with orders placed for 100 million N-95 certified masks.
- "Stay Home. Save Lives. Check In." During his daily coronavirus response press conference, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new initiative aimed at taking care of some of the California’s most vulnerable citizens: seniors. Called "Stay Home. Save Lives. Check In.", the campaign calls on residents to reach out to older Californians, neighbors and the like, who could use help getting basic necessities like food and prescriptions, or who may just need someone to talk to in a time of extreme social isolation. California has also partnered with AARP to create a statewide hotline [833-544-2374] to reach out to elderly residents.
- All Yolo County schools will remain closed throughout the month of April, the Yolo County Office of Education said, Tuesday. “For the health and safety of students, staff, and the community of Yolo County, all school districts will be closed through May 1, 2020,” officials wrote. Superintendent Garth Lewis went on to write, “YCOE will continue to update our community regarding information pertinent to school closures, meal services, distance learning, and the availability of child care.”
- Record number of people file for an unemployment in California: Gov. Newsom announced that California saw a record number of people apply for unemployment on Monday. He says 150,000 people filed claims. He added that 1.6 million people in California have sought unemployment benefits so far.
- 1,600 hospitalized in California due to coronavirus: In an update from Gov. Newsom, he said there are now 1,617 hospitalized due to the coronavirus statewide. 657 people are in the ICU. He says, if you roll the five day average, California has seen a doubling in the number of people hospitalized over that period and triples the number of people in ICUs.
- The San Joaquin County Fair Board of Directors has announced it has canceled the 2020 edition of the fair due to the coronavirus outbreak. In a Facebook post announcing the decision, the Board of Directors cite the "current financial situation" of San Joaquin County as a contributing factor. The fair will return will return in 2021.
- Mayor Steinberg: Sacramento has delayed the onset of a potential surge: In a briefing from Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, he said Sacramento has delayed the onset of a coronavirus surge. “We have delayed the onset of the potential surge in such a significant way, that Dr. Beilenson estimates that we have the additional capacity now of 1 full hospital," said Steinberg. However, he cautioned that the surge was still possible. He said was working with the state to identify other potential sites for hospital beds in case one still happens and in case beds are needed for other communities throughout California.
- Manteca students back in class with distance learning: By April 6, Manteca Unified School District students will be back in session with distance learning through May 15. The district is optimistic about returning to their physical classrooms by May 18 to finish the school year. “The only true failure would be to do nothing; our students are far too important to sit idle. As the Superintendent, I will not sit idle,” said Dr. Clark Burke. “We will endeavor to provide continuity of learning to our students with measured and deliberate steps.”
- Folsom closes playgrounds: Officials say there have been six confirmed coronavirus cases in the city of Folsom. As a safety effort, the city is closing their athletic fields, basketball courts, ball walls, bocce ball courts, dog park, library book return, pickle ball courts, playgrounds, tennis courts, and volleyball courts.“This decision was not taken lightly. COVID-19 cases are increasing in Sacramento County, and we now know we have confirmed cases here in Folsom,” said Folsom City Manager Elaine Andersen.
OUR MISSION: FACTS NOT FEAR
Coronavirus Background
According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Currently, there is no vaccine; however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, along with any other respiratory illness:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
WHY HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE SO CONCERNED
Some people have compared the low overall death toll to the flu's high annual death toll in the United States as a reason not to be concerned about COVID-19, however, doctors and health officials are concerned for three main reasons:
- Some people have built up immunity to the flu, but few have immunity to COVID-19 version of coronavirus.
- Both the flu and COVID-19 are spread by droplets, but COVID-19 might be spread in the air. Scientists are researching exactly how COVID-19 spreads.
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