Coronavirus update, April 30: Turlock center has sixth death; Masks at Costco
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 deaths increased to 11 as of Wednesday. A total of 339 people have tested positive for the virus. Another 5,094 tested negative. Seventy-nine people have been hospitalized, and 230 have recovered.
Of those who tested positive, 52% are male and 48% female. Five percent are 20 or younger, 10% are 21 to 30, 21% are 31 to 40, 21% are 41 to 50, 20% are 51 to 60, 10% are 61 to 70, 8% are 71 to 80, 4% are 81 to 90, and none are older than 90.
Modesto has 103 of the positive cases, 65 are in Turlock, 56 are in unincorporated areas, 38 are in Patterson, 36 are in Ceres, 12 are in Riverbank, 11 are in Newman, seven are in Waterford, six are in Oakdale, and five are in Hughson.
- San Joaquin County has 25 COVID-19-related deaths among 540 cases.
- Merced County is at 119 cases, with three deaths. Of those who tested positive, 67 are female and 52 male. Three are 17 or younger, 72 are between 18 and 49, 25 are between 50 and 64, and 19 are 65 or older.
- Tuolumne County has four cases and no deaths. The county has tested 567 people.
- Mariposa County was up to three cases Wednesday after reporting its first Tuesday. None are fatal. The county has tested 119 people.
As of Wednesday evening, there were 48,828 confirmed cases in California and 1,954 deaths, according to the Los Angeles Times. There were just over 1 million U.S. cases and 60,945 deaths, according to the New York Times.
Here is the state tracker.
Turlock death puts county total at 11
Another death was reported Wednesday at a Turlock nursing home, pushing the coronavirus death toll to 11 in Stanislaus County. Read the story by Ken Carlson and Kristin Lam.
Confusion over school restart
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement Tuesday that California schools could reopen as early as July surprised and frustrated Stanislaus County’s education chief. Read Deke Farrow’s story.
Mask rules vary for shoppers
Consider it the proverbial, “If you build it, will they come” question. If Costco starts requiring customers wear masks, will other companies come around to similar policies? Read Marijke Rowland’s Biz Beat column.
Raley’s workers ratify pact amid COVID-19
Thousands of grocery workers represented by UFCW 8-Golden State overwhelmingly ratified a contract agreement with Raley’s that contains wage increases and expanded health care benefits. Read the Sacramento Bee story.
Around California, United States
Los Angeles is the first major city in the U.S. to offer free coronavirus testing to everyone, the mayor says. The city will provide COVID-19 testing to all residents for free, even if they have no symptoms, Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a tweet Wednesday. See the story.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said it will be months before places like hair and nail salons, movie theaters and in-person church services can resume operation.
Dozens of bodies were found stacked in two U-Haul trucks outside of a New York City funeral home, media outlets report.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, says an experimental drug for coronavirus treatment shows a “clear-cut, significant, positive effect in diminishing the time to recovery.”
