Coronavirus

Coronavirus update, Aug. 13: Stanislaus has 5 more deaths. Decline in hospitalizations

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Latest facts on COVID-19 testing in Modesto area

As Stanislaus County’s death toll to the coronavirus reached 182 and the infection rate climbed for a second straight day, the county announced a decrease in hospitalizations.

Five more people have died from COVID-19, the county reported. The county also received 737 more positive test results after the state released scores of data on Wednesday.

However, the number of confirmed cases in the county’s five hospitals dropped to 191, the lowest total since July. That was in keeping with earlier announcements in the day by the state that hospitalizations across California were falling.

Seven percent of adult intensive-care beds were available Wednesday.

Details on the latest victims’ genders and age ranges were not available.

A total of 11,592 people have tested positive, the county Health Services Agency reported.

Another 60,329 have tested negative, and 10,238 are presumed recovered. Wednesday’s positivity rate of 42.8% was down from Tuesday’s 56.4% but still among the highest in recent weeks.

The rolling 14-day average was at 23.5% and the seven-day average at 22.4% – both had fallen below 18 percent earlier in the week. The positivity rate since data collection began was 16.1% as of Wednesday.

The fluctuation in positivity date could be due to the release of backlogged test results by the state.

Most of the county’s detailed dashboard remained offline, meaning no updates on age ranges and hometowns for the positive cases.

In other nearby counties:

San Joaquin County has 239 COVID-19-related deaths among 14,026 cases.

Merced County has 74 deaths among 6,224 cases.

Tuolumne County has 159 cases and two deaths.

Mariposa County has 63 cases and two deaths

.As of Wednesday evening, there were 586,056 confirmed cases in California and 10,648 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. There were 5,191,689 U.S. cases and 165,909 deaths.

Here is the state tracker.

Modesto takes action against businesses over coronavirus

Modesto issued cease-and-desist orders Tuesday to two restaurants, a spa, and a nail salon suspected of not complying with California’s public health order to stop the spread of the new coronavirus

Farmworkers fear retaliation for airing COVID-19 concerns

Some Stanislaus County farmworkers avoid requesting safety measures, reporting COVID-19 issues and even getting tested for fear of retaliation and job loss, according to a study examining agricultural labor issues in California.

Rent help on the way for Stanislaus County residents

A Modesto nonprofit that helps low-income families pay their rent says the number of phone calls from tenants has remained steady during the pandemic, but what really has gone up is how far behind the callers are in their rent.

Withrow pushes for schools to open

Stanislaus County supervisors heard a presentation Tuesday on a coronavirus outbreak that may or may not be receding a bit.

Modesto schools return remotely

Before they returned home to log in for the distance learning intended to keep themselves, their families and school employees healthy and safe during the COVID-19 outbreak, hundreds of Modesto students gathered outdoors Monday morning for the tradition known as senior sunrise.

Styling hair outside ain’t easy

As hair salons and barbershops remain closed for indoor cuts, a few intrepid Central Valley stylists are taking their clippers into the great outdoors instead.

Modesto-area ICUs: ‘Nothing but struggle, failure and death’

A Modesto nurse goes public about hospitals in Stanislaus County that are overburdened with patients suffering from COVID-19. The current wave includes younger adults who are fighting for their lives.

Modesto-area hospitals receive additional staff

Three hospitals have received temporary staff through the state’s Medical and Health Operational Area Coordinator program, administered through the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

From around the state, nation and world

With many families still quarantining in their homes to keep safe from the coronavirus, pets are enjoying the everlasting company of their owners like never before. But the constant attention, especially from youngsters, has a downside.

This story was originally published August 13, 2020 at 5:04 AM.

Follow More of Our Reporting on Coronavirus in California

John Holland
The Modesto Bee
John Holland covers agriculture, transportation and general assignment news. He has been with The Modesto Bee since 2000 and previously worked at newspapers in Sonora and Visalia. He was born and raised in San Francisco and has a journalism degree from UC Berkeley.
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