Coronavirus update, April 6: Merced County reports death; Modesto-area numbers climb
Here is the latest on the coronavirus pandemic as it relates to Stanislaus County:
Latest facts on COVID-19 tests in Modesto area
Stanislaus County reported Monday morning that 71 people have tested positive for the virus and 1,620 tested negative. Twenty-seven of the positive cases were hospitalized. Deaths remain at zero.
Of those who tested positive, 38 are female and 33 male. Two are 17 or younger, 33 are between 18 and 49, 23 are between 50 and 64, and 13 are 65 or older.
Modesto has 29 of the positive cases, 13 are in unincorporated areas, seven are in Ceres, seven are in Patterson, four are in Turlock and three are in Riverbank. The other cases were not reported by city because of medical privacy rules regarding smaller cities.
- San Joaquin County has 11 COVID-19-related deaths among 203 cases.
- Merced County is at 29 cases, with one death. Of those who tested positive, 15 are male and 14 female. One is 17 or younger, 20 are between 18 and 49, five are between 50 and 64, and three are 65 or older. Eighteen are on the east side of the county, 11 on the west side.
- Tuolumne County has two cases and no deaths.
- Mariposa County still has no cases.
As of Monday morning, there were 15,201 confirmed cases in California and 350 deaths, according to the Los Angeles Times. There were 336,776 U.S. cases and 9,655 deaths, according to the New York Times.
Here is the state tracker.
Merced County reports first death
The first death of a Merced County resident infected with coronavirus was reported Sunday by Merced County Department of Public Health. The person is reported to have been under the age of 65 with underlying health conditions, according to a news release. Read Andrew Kuhn’s story.
The latest on Stanislaus County school districts
As of Friday evening, just about every school district in and near Stanislaus County had decided to stay closed through spring. The coronavirus has forced students to do distance learning from home for a few weeks now. Until this week, hope lingered that they might get at least some time in real classrooms. Here is the latest entering this week.
Mental health outlook in Modesto area
Mental health experts warn that the stress and anxiety of the pandemic will take a toll on mental health for people of all ages, but seniors and children face high risk. Take a look at the story by The Bee’s Kristin Lam and ChrisAnna Mink on how the coronavirus is impacting local agencies and one counselor in Stanislaus County.
Stanislaus County officials on the right track
Stanislaus County has vastly improved its messaging to the public since the coronavirus pandemic burst upon us a few weeks ago. In fact, the county’s weekly Wednesday Facebook Live Q&A session has become must-see programming for anyone wanting the best local information on this life-changing crisis. Read The Bee’s Editorial, an about-face about the county’s early messaging at the start of the pandemic.
How are Modesto-area ‘essential’ businesses doing?
Yes, they’re still open for business. No, it’s not business as usual. While most everyone knows grocery stores, pharmacies and big-box retailers have been bustling during the ongoing coronavirus crisis, lots of other kinds of essential businesses are also open and ready to serve across Modesto and the Central Valley. Read Marijke Rowland’s story.
Around the San Joaquin Valley, California, the U.S.
You’ve probably seen them at the supermarket or on the streets: People wearing surgical face masks pulled down under their noses, touching their face masks or dropping used face masks in public trash cans. There’s a right way and plenty of wrong ways to use face masks to help fight the spread of coronavirus, experts say. And a lot of people are on the wrong track. Read McClatchy’s story.
Doctors and nurses around the country are struggling to handle a surge of COVID-19 patients, but Dr. Bob Sears of Orange County has extra time on his hands. Sears, a prominent figure in California’s anti-vaccination movement, announced on Facebook last week that his business has been slow due to the coronavirus shutdown. He urged patients to come in for routine annual physicals. Never mind the fact that most Californians are following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order and avoiding unnecessary appointments. Dr. Sears needs some business. Read The Sacramento Bee’s editorial..
A tiger at the Bronx Zoo has tested positive for COVID-19, the zoo said Sunday. Nadia, a 4-year-old female Malayan tiger, tested positive for the virus while her sister Azul, two Amur tigers and three African lions developed a dry cough, the zoo said in a release. Read the story.
The mayor of Tybee Island slammed Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to reopen beaches amid the coronavirus pandemic and stay-at-home orders. Some communities in the state had already issued ordinances that shut down public access to their beaches. But the governor issued a statewide stay-at-home order Thursday that superseded these ordinances, meaning beaches were required to reopen, McClatchy News reported. Read the story.
This story was originally published April 6, 2020 at 6:46 AM with the headline "Coronavirus update, April 6: Merced County reports death; Modesto-area numbers climb."
