Tulare County confirms nine new coronavirus cases, including two children under 18

Two day after confirming the county’s first death related to the coronavirus, the Tulare County Public Health and Human Service Agency confirmed nine new cases in an online briefing Monday – including two children under the age of 18.

This brings the total number of cases in the county to 43. The county originally reported 44 cases, but later revised the number.

Of the nine new cases, eight were spread via person-to-person contact, said public information officer Tammie Weyker-Adkins. The other case is still under investigation.

One patient died on Saturday. That person, who has not been identified, had been in critical condition at Kaweah Delta Hospital in Visalia since March 16. How the person was exposed to the virus remains unknown, health officials said.

This is the second coronavirus-related death in the central San Joaquin Valley. On Thursday, health officials in Madera County confirmed the death of 67-year-old Jose Sanchez Barriga.

In the central San Joaquin Valley, the number of coronavirus cases climbed past 100 over the weekend.

Fresno County added a dozen cases to its count on Saturday. Madera County’s total rose by four on Saturday and three on Sunday, while two more cases were reported in Merced County and one in Kings Counties. Kings County’s second case was reported Sunday morning, while Merced County reported its ninth case Sunday afternoon.

Tulare County’s Monday update brought the region’s total to 116 since the first two cases came to light on March 6. Fresno County was scheduled to share an update in its regular late Monday afternoon online briefing.

This story was originally published March 30, 2020 at 12:45 PM.