Coronavirus update, May 7: Stanislaus deaths rise to 17; advice on household poisons
Here is the latest on the coronavirus pandemic as it relates to Stanislaus County:
Latest facts on COVID-10 testing in Modesto area
Stanislaus County reported its 16th and 17th deaths Wednesday. A total of 461 people have tested positive for the virus. Another 6,519 tested negative. Ninety-two people have been hospitalized, and 285 have recovered.
The positivity rate is at 6.6%, up from 6.2% the day before.
Among the total at five county hospitals, 54% beds are available, 50% of intensive care unit beds are available and 80% of ventilators are available.
Of those who tested positive, 50% are male and 50% 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 1% are older than 90.
Turlock has 149 positive cases, 117 are in Modesto, 47 are in Ceres, 42 are in Patterson, 12 each are in Riverbank and Newman, seven are in Waterford, and six each are in Oakdale and Hughson. Of the cases in unincorporated areas, 24 are in supervisorial District 5, 19 in District 3, 11 in District 2, seven in District 1 and fewer than five in District 4.
- San Joaquin County has 27 COVID-19-related deaths among 579 cases.
- Merced County is at 152 cases, with three deaths.
- Tuolumne County has two cases and no deaths.
- Mariposa County has 15 cases, none fatal.
As of Wednesday evening, there were 60,615 confirmed cases in California and 2,462 deaths, according to the Los Angeles Times. There were about 1.2 million U.S. cases and 73,482 deaths, according to the New York Times.
Here is the state tracker.
Stanislaus reports more deaths
Two more Stanislaus County residents have died of the coronavirus, officials said Wednesday, bringing the total to 17. Read John Holland’s story.
What Modesto, other schools have in works for grad ceremonies
Schools in Modesto, Turlock, Ceres and other cities in the Central Valley of California are working to ensure high school seniors in the Class of 2020 get virtual graduations during the coronavirus pandemic. Read Deke Farrow’s story.
Don’t drink the sanitizer
Even before President Donald Trump’s controversial comments about internal use of disinfectants, calls to the California Poison Control System had risen due to increased use of cleaning solutions because of the pandemic. Read Dr. Chrisanna Mink’s story.
Local musicians live stream
If you miss hearing local musicians at your favorite night spots as the coronavirus pandemic continues to keep you inside, tune in to the live streaming going on regularly from Modesto. Read Pat Clark’s story.
An appeal to Bee readers
The Modesto Bee is seeking donations to help cover the cost of reporting on the coronavirus pandemic and the challenge ahead for the local economy. Read Editor Brian Clark’s message.
Merced still has fair food
The Merced County Fair may have been canceled for 2020, but people can still purchase some of their favorite fair food via drive-through service on upcoming Fridays. Read Shawn Jansen’s story.
Around California, United States
While the majority of people who develop COVID-19 survive the disease, poor respiratory health can seriously hurt a patient’s odds of pulling through, experts say. Whether you have a diagnosed lung disease, or just get a little winded climbing the stairs, here are the best ways to get your lungs in fighting shape. Read the story.
Staying indoors without air conditioning is hard enough during a heat wave. But with stay-at-home orders in place across California due to the coronavirus pandemic, vulnerable people could be at even greater risk, state health officials say. See the story.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday he has signed an executive order to waive the 10 percent penalty on late residential and small business property tax payments for those unable to pay on time due to the coronavirus emergency. Read the story.
As people continue to receive their stimulus checks from the IRS, California’s attorney general is cautioning people to look out for scammers who might be trying to cash in. Read the story.
For $17 to $22 an hour, people can help trace the contacts of those who have been infected with COVID-19, said a job posting by the CONTRACE Public Health Corps in Washington, D.C. Read the story.
This story was originally published May 7, 2020 at 6:23 AM with the headline "Coronavirus update, May 7: Stanislaus deaths rise to 17; advice on household poisons."
