Coronavirus update, July 24: Two more Stanislaus deaths. Positive tests surpass 7,000
Here is the latest on the coronavirus outbreak from in and around Modesto and Stanislaus County.
Latest facts on COVID-19 testing in Modesto area
Two more Stanislaus County residents have died from the virus, bringing the total to 79, the county Health Services Agency announced Thursday. Twenty-eight of the deaths have been reported in the past 10 days.
Stanislaus had 7,401 positive tests as of Thursday, up a county single-day record 417 from Wednesday, the agency said in its online update. Another 46,746 residents have tested negative, and 5,974 are presumed recovered.
Thursday’s positivity rate of 32.62% more than doubled the 15.33% on Wednesday and is second only to the 47.21% on July 15. The infection rate since the county started documenting data was 13.7% on Thursday, versus 13.2% on Wednesday.
The rolling 14-day rate of infection stood at 23.05% on Thursday, compared with 22.40% the day before. The rolling seven-day rate of infection was 22.40% on Thursday, up from 21.32% on Wednesday.
The number of hospitalizations of confirmed cases was 232 on Thursday, up from 221 on Wednesday. Among the five county hospitals, 34% of total beds are available, as are 20% of intensive care unit beds (only 1% of them for adults) and 65% of ventilators.
Of those who tested positive, 55% are female and 45% male. Fourteen percent are 20 or younger, 20% are 21 to 30, 19% are 31 to 40, 17% are 41 to 50, 14% are 51 to 60, 7% are 61 to 70, 4% are 71 to 80, 4% are 81 to 90, and 2% are older than 90.
Though they make up 47 percent of the population, Latinos represented 73 percent of the positive cases.
Modesto has 2,593 positive cases, 958 are in Ceres, 915 are in Turlock, 335 are in Patterson, 319 are in Riverbank,
157 are in Oakdale, 134 are in Waterford, 106 are in Newman, and 73 are in Hughson. Of the cases in unincorporated areas, 487 are in supervisorial District 5, 456 are in District 3, which includes Salida, 292 are in District 2, 136 are in District 1, and 42 are in District 4.
- San Joaquin County has 107 COVID-19-related deaths among 9,826 cases.
- Merced County has 27 deaths among 3,123 cases.
- Tuolumne County has 117 positive cases and zero deaths.
- Mariposa County has 44 positive cases and one death.
As of Thursday evening, there were 430.773 confirmed cases in California and 8,201 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. There were 4,038,864 U.S. cases and 144,305 deaths.
Here is the state tracker.
Contact tracers face backlog
The Stanislaus County Health Agency is still reporting backlogs of coronavirus data as investigators struggle to call all the people who test positive. Read Kristin Lam’s story.
Pandemic worries seniors, Latino adults
More than 80% of senior citizens and Latino adults reported that the coronavirus is their main concern, and more than half of those ages 65 and older and two-thirds of Latinos said the pandemic has made them anxious, stressed or overwhelmed, surveys showed. Read ChrisAnna Mink’s story.
Modesto sixth-grader weighs in
Eleven-year-old Gabriel Alvarez was looking forward to starting sixth grade at Great Valley Academy because he misses his friends. He’s disappointed school will begin with distance learning. Read ChrisAnna Mink’s story.
Ninth Street shelter has positive tests
The Salvation Army is reporting three COVID-19 cases among its homeless shelter clients at its Berberian Center in Modesto. Read Kevin Valine’s story.
Stress on hospital front lines
Dr. Auro Reddy never dreamt of dealing with a contagious disease outbreak of these dimensions when he was admitted to the family practice medicine residency program in Stanislaus County. Read Ken Carlson’s story.
Stanislaus County leaders continue to fall short on messaging
Stanislaus County Supervisor Kristin Olsen ignored a dramatic death toll and zero occupancy in ICU beds to concentrate on nail and hair salons in a video address to the public. Read the Editorial Board’s take.
Lots of questions as distance learning resumes
How will students and teachers be held accountable during distance learning? Will kids have to sit for hours on end in front of their computer screens? How will students and parents know to use the learning devices sent home? Read Deke Farrow’s story.
Turlock man continues to recover from coronavirus
As the coronavirus pandemic has progressed, doctors are learning more about the complexity of symptoms, acute and long-term, caused by the novel coronavirus. A Turlock, California, survivor talks about his recovery. See ChrisAnna Mink’s story.
Around California, United States and world
California’s unemployed workers could continue to get some but not all of the $600 weekly benefit they now receive under a plan the Trump administration proposed Thursday. Read the story.
Aluminum cans are becoming harder to come by, sparking concerns for beer and soda drinkers. Demand for cans has gone up as people stay home during the coronavirus pandemic. Read the story.
Nearly 3,500 public health experts have signed a letter in support of Dr. Anthony Fauci, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director, amid the Trump administration’s attack on him. Read the story.
This story was originally published July 24, 2020 at 4:47 AM.
