Coronavirus updates: 3 cases in Fresno County, 5 in Tulare County; Fresno to ‘shelter in place’
A third person in Fresno County has tested positive for coronavirus, county officials announced Wednesday.
“This is a travel-related case and was not community acquired. This individual is doing well and is isolating and recovering at home at this time,” county health officials said in a news release.
Earlier Wednesday, Tulare County health officials announced a fifth COVID-19 patient in the county.
According to the county, the fifth patient is over 65 and is considered to be a case of person-to-person spread through direct contact. The public health branch has started an investigation, and no new contacts have been identified.
On Tuesday, health officials conformed a fourth patient had tested positive9.
The fourth patient is between the ages of 18-25, was a traveler to Europe, and came home, self-quarantined and later tested positive. The patient is well enough to continue to remain at home. Two contacts have been identified and have been instructed to self-quarantine.
On Monday, officials announced the county’s third COVID-19 patient was in critical condition at Kaweah Delta Hospital in Visalia.
Fresnans asked to ‘shelter in place’
The city of Fresno issued a “shelter-in-place” order Wednesday in an effort to limit the spread of coronavirus.
The order allows residents to leave their homes for essential services, such as grocery shopping, doctor’s appointments, picking up medications or going to work. The order instructs those who do leave their home to practice social distancing, keeping at least 6 feet away from others. The elderly and people with illnesses should stay home as much as possible.
Outdoor activities such as walking, hiking and running are still OK as long as residents practice social distancing. City parks remain open and are not collecting parking fees.
The order goes into effect at midnight Thursday and will last until March 31, though it may be extended.
This comes as California Gov. Gavin Newsom continues to sound the alarm about the potential impact of the coronavirus pandemic, saying that the state’s hospitals will be strained in the upcoming weeks.
The current hospital surge capacity of about 90,000 falls thousands of beds short of what may be needed, but officials are working to secure more facilities and equipment to meet the demand, he said.
Kings County emergency
On Tuesday, Kings County, joined other central San Joaquin Valley counties in declaring a state of emergency. The emergency declaration gives counties the ability to respond to issues more quickly and seek state and federal assistance. So far, no cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Kings County, according to county officials.
Fresno County declared an emergency on Tuesday, though supervisor Steve Brandau called the efforts an “overreaction.”
Schools may be closed until summer
Newsom also said he expects schools to be closed for longer than first expected. “Few, if any” public K-12 schools would reopen before summer breaks, he said. Nearly all of California’s 6.2 million students are already home from school. He is seeking permission from the federal government to suspend standardized testing.
For it’s part, both Fresno and Clovis Unified School Districts are providing meals for the students on a grab-and-go basis. Both districts announced the pickup times and locations. Other school districts have followed suit. Here’s a list of of when and where to get free meals.
Commencements called off
Fresno State meanwhile announced it would be canceling its spring commencement ceremonies and is moving all classes online for the remainder of the semester. Students housed in dormitories have been asked to go home.
Fresno Pacific University also announced it would postpone its spring commencement.
This gym is open, for now
Despite he governors calls for the closure of movie theaters, gyms and health clubs to close, the Fresno gym GB3 (or George Brown’s Sports Clubs) chain had elected to remain open as of Tuesday. There are five GB3 locations in the Fresno/Clovis area.
Changes at Fresno’s Assessor’s and Recorder’s offices
The Fresno County has announced the Assessor’s and Recorder’s Offices will be closed to walk-in customers starting Wednesday. Services will still be available by phone or online.
Phone calls voicemails and emails will be answered based on availability of staff.
The recorder’s office will continue process documents sent through the mail. Real estate recordings can be dropped at the office’s drop box located outside of the Hall of Records at 2281 Tulare St.
Requests for vital records (birth, death, and marriage records) submitted online and through the mail will continue to be processed as usual. Requests can be made at www.co.fresno.ca.us/departments/recorder/how-to-get-copies.
Information from the Assessor’s office, like real property assessment and property transfer, can be found at www.co.fresno.ca.us/departments/assessor.
Grocery stores offer dedicated early shopping hours
Several grocery stores are setting aside hours just for senior citizens and other populations that may have higher risk of contracting COVID-19. Those stores include The Market, Dollar General, State Food Supermarkets, Vallarta Supermarkets, Target and Whole Foods.
This story was originally published March 18, 2020 at 10:25 AM with the headline "Coronavirus updates: 3 cases in Fresno County, 5 in Tulare County; Fresno to ‘shelter in place’."