Answering Fresno-area reader questions about coronavirus: How many cases in each city?
As conronavirus continues to upend life in the central San Joaquin Valley, The Fresno Bee is here to answer your pandemic-related questions. While we’ve tried to address many of them in our regular coverage, in such a complex and evolving story some topics can slip through the cracks.
When the answers require information that isn’t readily available, we will solicit input from public officials and health experts.
Questions can be emailed to news@fresnobee.com or left at 559-441-6330. Instructions on how to submit news tips and documents can be found at fresnobee.com/news/investigative-tips.
Why can’t officials be more specific about where the COVID-19 cases are being found? The county by county totals make it sound as if it’s a competition (we’ve now passed Tulare County), but for all we know, most of the cases are in the Coalinga area. Jim W. of Clovis
Why isn’t there a city by city total of cases rather than county by county? Elnora R. of Fresno
The short answer to these types of questions, according to Fresno County Interim Health Officer Rais Vohra is, “Stay tuned.”
Until now, the Fresno County Department of Public Health had only reported countywide figures, both to the media and city officials. That changed in Wednesday’s update, which indicated 66 of the county’s 82 positive cases were located in the Fresno/Clovis metro area. Other cities and unincorporated areas accounted for the other 16.
When can we expect more detailed breakdowns, by city or even ZIP code? When patient privacy rights can be assured and the total number of cases reaches the point where the data is reliable. Which isn’t exactly good news.
“When numbers are really low in these communities, we make it a standard epidemiological practice not to report out until they go higher and higher,” Vohra said. “Unfortunately that is what we’re seeing.”
Vohra added his team of epidemiologists is “actively working on” compiling the data, which he knows is of great interest to the public.
Will Fresno County accept COVID-19 patients from other areas of California if we are not as impacted? Anonymous
Perhaps. Vohra said his team has already started working with local hospitals on crisis planning and when to expect a surge of patients. He expects the local surge to be “a week or two behind” the Bay Area and Los Angeles.
“We do have contingency plans to help some of our neighboring regions, but we also want to make sure that we reserve all the resources that we can for any contingency plans that we need to make for ourselves,” Vohra said.
“What we’ve expressed to our local elected officials is that we want to help each other out but please don’t forget about the Central Valley because our surge may not happen at the same time as surges in other regions.”
Should I wear a mask to go buy groceries? Alicia F. of Fresno
That’s the sort of decision everyone has to make for themselves. I wore a bandana tied around my face and nose during a recent trip to Trader Joe’s and would estimate about half the customers had on some type of cloth mask. (Store employees did not.)
It does feel as if general sentiment toward masks started to shift in recent days, and they certainly aren’t a substitute for social distancing and hand hygiene. But if wearing one to the grocery store makes you feel safer, why not?
