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 Tuesday, April 7.
CALIFORNIA STATUS UPDATE
The California Department of Public Health reports:
- Confirmed cases: 15,865 (As of April 6).
- 374 deaths
- 22 state and county labs processing tests for COVID-19, including commercial, private and academic labs. As of April 5, approximately 143,800 tests have been conducted.
- Click here for complete information on coronavirus, unemployment, and more from the state of California.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
- Gov. Newsom considers aid for immigrants amid virus: California Gov. Gavin Newsom says the state is exploring ways to help people living in the country illegally who are not eligible for federal economic stimulus benefits. Newsom said Tuesday he plans to unveil his plan next month. He said it will be part of a broader package of economic stimulus strategies that are separate from federal benefits. Last month Congress approved a $2.2 trillion aid package that will give cash payments to most Americans. But those living in the country illegally are not eligible to get that money. California's revenues have tumbled amid the crisis and it's unclear how much will be available to help immigrants.
- Sacramento Regional Parks closing parking lots on Easter: In an effort to limit use of public park facilities, The Sacramento County Regional Parks Department is closing their facilities, including restrooms and parking lots, on Easter weekend. Trails will remain open, but facilities will be monitored by staff to ensure social distancing.
- Sacramento County extends stay at home order: A new stay at home order has been issued for Sacramento County through May 1. The new order goes further with limitations than the previous one. The order requires essential businesses to implement social distancing protocols, restricts access to recreation facilities like playgrounds, bans all non-essential gatherings of any number of people, and directs all businesses and government agencies to stop non-essential operations at physical locations in the county. “This new Public Health Order has additional clarification and directives, but the main point remains clear: people in Sacramento County must keep social distancing to the max,” said Dr. Peter Beilenson, Director of Health Services. “The single most important thing everyone can do to beat this is to stay home.”
- Free drive-up coronavirus testing in San Joaquin County: A new coronavirus testing site will be coming to Stockton, near the San Joaquin General Hospital on April 8. “With coronavirus testing being in limited supply, I am grateful that when I reached out to Governor Gavin Newsom and Alphabet Company, Verily, they made it a priority that Stockton and the greater San Joaquin County, have access to drive-through services,” said Mayor Michael Tubbs. “Our work with Verily, which is providing testing sites throughout California, is another important partnership to bring resources and tools to Stockton to help bend the curve and reduce the spread of the coronavirus.” The program has two steps, screening and testing. A user logs onto a website and answers questions about their symptoms. If they meet the criteria, they'll get details of when and where to be tested and later get their results through the Baseline Covid-19 Program portal, email, or phone. Not everyone is able to use the site. You have to 18 years or older, live in the county, and sign a consent form. If you qualify after the screening, you can get a testing location appointment. The program will focus on high-risk populations and will initially include adults who might have symptoms and have other risk factors.
- Coronavirus cases by zip code in Sacramento County: Offering more data into the coronavirus cases in Sacramento County, officials have released zip code specific data on cases in the county. However, officials pointed out two important notes: zip codes may not be determined for all zip codes at the time of mapping and zip codes with less than five cases are not included. To find your area, click HERE.
- Gov. Newsom announced Tuesday there are now guidelines and even a “playbook” for dealing with mental health issues during the coronavirus crisis. “Staying at home doesn’t mean your alone,” Newsom said. “As a state, we are doing what we can to support you.”
- Coronavirus cases surge at some California nursing homes: Health officials say coronavirus infections reported at a nursing home in the San Francisco Bay Area increased to nearly 50 from 27 last week and one infected person has died. Contra Costa County health officials tell the East Bay Times that 27 residents and 22 staff members at the Orinda Care Center have tested positive for the virus. One person who was in hospice care at the facility had tested positive for COVID-19 and died over the weekend. Outbreaks at nursing homes and elder residences have alarmed experts who say those cases could overwhelm the health care system.
- Confirmed coronavirus cases in Sacramento County is up to 525, with 21 deaths also confirmed from the virus, according to the Sacramento County Public Health Department. All of the deaths, so far, have been from patients who are either 65 years or older and/or those who had underlying health conditions, health officials said.
- If you were unable to pay your rent on April 1 due to coronavirus, April 7 is the last day you can notify your landlord and avoid eviction according to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order. Newsom signed the order on March 27. It applies to residents who, prior to March 27, are current on rent payments but are now experiencing hardship due to the virus. As part of the order, “the tenant must notify the landlord, in writing, prior to the date rent is due or within 7 days after.” The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Sacramento provided a link to download a printable form to give to your landlord if you are impacted by the pandemic and are unable to pay.
- California governor sticking with mid-May as COVID-19 peak: Gov. Gavin Newsom is sticking to a mid-May projection of when the COVID-19 outbreak will reach its peak in California. While confirmed cases and deaths are rising in California, the rate of hospitalizations and intensive-care placements — a key indicator of resources the state needs — have been increasing more slowly. Newsom said they rose less than 5% over the weekend. A new analysis by researchers at the University of Washington shows California will hit its peak of COVID-19 deaths on April 17. Newsom isn't changing his forecast for the state but he and the researchers agree things will worsen if people stop social distancing.
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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