Coronavirus update, March 30: Numbers expected to start doubling in Stanislaus County
Here is the latest on the coronavirus pandemic as it relates to Stanislaus County.
Latest facts on COVID-19 tests in Modesto area
Here are the latest numbers surrounding COVID-19 positive tests in the area.
- In an update Monday afternoon, Stanislaus County reported that 33 people have tested positive for the virus and 994 tested negative. There remain no virus-related deaths in the county.
- San Joaquin County has six COVID-19-related deaths among 123 cases.
- Merced County is up to nine cases, with no deaths. Reported tests remained at 61.
- Tuolumne County has one case, a visitor from Mono County. Reported tests remained at 145.
- Mariposa County still has no cases and reports 40 tests.
- As of Sunday night, there were 6,358 confirmed cases in California and 132 deaths (11 more than Saturday), according to the Los Angeles Times. As of 5 a.m. Monday, there were 141,995 U.S,. cases and 2,133 deaths (353 more than early Sunday), according to the New York Times.
Here is the state tracker.
Olsen: Expect Stanislaus County COVID-19 numbers to start doubling
Kristin Olsen, chairwoman of the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors, tweeted Sunday night to expect the number of positive cases in Stanislaus County to “double every 4-5 days or sooner,” citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She also warned residents not to take non-pharmaceutical Chloroquine at home to treatd COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Jeff Dirkse, on Facebook Saturday afternoon, said “Our planning horizon for Shelter in Place/Stay at Home order is through Memorial Day (for now) and we expect it to get worse before it gets better. If this ends sooner, great..”
Earlier in the week, the county said schools would remain closed through May 1 and possibly open on the subsequent Monday, May 4.
Dirkse wrote the next morning on Facebook that the Memorial Day date is based on modeling currently being used to predict the expected peak of surge, which Dr. Julie Vaishampayan said last week would likely be in about two weeks.
Needeless to say, it’s an extremely fluid situation, illustrated by President Trump adding another month to his restrictive social distancing guidelines, which now runs through April 30.
Enforcement coming to Stanislaus County
About 150 reports of nonessential businesses still operating around Stanislaus County were received by the Office of Emergency Services within a matter of days. Monday, cities and the county are expected to begin issuing cease-and-desist letters. The office last week set up the email HSA-COVID-19info@schsa.org and asked people to report businesses that remain open and serve customers in disregard of a statewide order to slow the spread of COVID-19. Read Erin Tracy’s story.
Modesto area residents rise to help others
How do you stay positive, when people are getting sick and working less or losing jobs and maybe homes, and the economy is falling apart? What’s your trick? The Bee’s Opinion columnist Garth Stapley looked across the Modesto area landscape, and points out many are doing what they do best — helping others. Read Garth’s story to find out where all this help is coming from.
Where to find help, takeout in Modesto
If you’re looking for Modesto-area restaurants that are open for takeout and/or delivery, here’s your must-have guide. If you own or know of any that are open not on this list, email Bee reporter Marijke Rowland at mrowland@modbee.com. Here also are some shopping alternatives if the stores you normally go to are out of your favorite food or other items. Also, if you’re looking for ways to give or looking for help, click on our list of resources.
Around the San Joaquin Valley, U.S.
The coronavirus outbreak could kill 100,000 to 200,000 Americans, the U.S. government’s top infectious-disease expert warned on Sunday as family members described wrenching farewells through hospital windows with dying loved ones.
The scenes, captured by web cameras and newspaper photographers’ lenses, highlight Californians’ incredible efforts to isolate themselves in response to local and state orders to stay home to slow the spread of COVID-19. Now, for the first time, Californians know just how well they’re doing.
The number of coronavirus patients in California intensive care units doubled overnight and manufacturers are stepping up to build equipment like ventilators to fill hospital shortages, Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Saturday. He spoke from a Bloom Energy facility in Sunnyvale retrofitted to refurbish ventilators unusable after sitting idle for years in government stockpiles. Days before, the company had used the room for storage. Read The Sacramento Bee story.
Check back for updates.
This story was originally published March 30, 2020 at 6:18 AM with the headline "Coronavirus update, March 30: Numbers expected to start doubling in Stanislaus County."
