COVID-19 pandemic tops 2,000 cases in Fresno region, as new infections spike

Health officials in Fresno, Tulare and Kings counties combined reported almost 170 new confirmed cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, marking the largest number of new cases in any single day since the COVID-19 pandemic reached the central San Joaquin Valley about two months ago.

The first two cases of coronavirus disease were confirmed on March 6. Since that time, the number of cases in the region has ballooned to 2,007, including 55 people who died from the respiratory disease caused by the virus.

On Tuesday morning, the Tulare County Health and Human Services Agency announced that it received confirmation of 101 new patients – easily the most of any day since its first instance of the virus on March 11. Later Tuesday, Fresno County’s Department of Public Health set its own benchmark for new cases in a day, reporting that testing labs notified officials of 52 cases since Monday afternoon.

Kings County’s public health department reported 13 additional cases there, raising the total to 211 including 33 recoveries and a single fatality.

In Tulare County, the splurge of new test results brings the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases to 858, including 146 people considered to have recovered from the virus and 40 deaths. Fresno County’s new total rose to 724, of whom 253 are recovered. Nine Fresno County residents have succumbed to the virus.

Neither Madera, Mariposa nor Merced counties reported any new cases as of Tuesday evening. Merced’s cumulative case count remained at 146 cases, including 81 who have recovered and three deaths. In Madera County, health officials have reported 54 cases, 30 recoveries and two deaths. Mariposa County remains at 14 cases and no fatalities.

The surge in cases in Fresno County was reported fewer than two hours before Fresno Mayor Lee Brand was set to announce a plan for the first phase of reopening businesses that have been hard hit by state and local stay-at-home orders and requirements for non-essential businesses to close as a means of reducing the potential for the spread of the virus.

The increases in Tulare and Kings counties – both largely rural areas of the Valley – have been enough to propel both into the top 10 counties in terms of the infection rate from the coronavirus in proportion to their population: Kings with a rate of more than 136 infections per 100,000 residents, and Tulare at almost 179 cases per 100,000 people.

Restarting Fresno County commerce

Fresno County leaders are waiting for guidance from California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state health officials before moving too hastily to revive commerce in unincorporated parts of the county, said Jean Rousseau, the county administrative officer.

“Right now the county’s focus is opening businesses safely,” Rousseau said Tuesday. “We really want to push the envelope as much as we can, within reason, and still keep our businesses and everyone safe.”

Rousseau expressed concern about mixed signals coming from some cities in the county, including Fresno and Clovis, on balancing commerce and community safety. He noted that Fresno Mayor Lee Brand recently extended a stay-at-home order within the city to minimize the spread of the virus, even as the city takes steps to allow more businesses to reopen in its jurisdiction. In the meantime, the city of Clovis has said it will refuse to enforce the state’s stay-at-home rules.

“The county is adhering to the governor’s stay-at-home order and the state public health officer’s stay-at-home orders, and we’ve been doing that from Day 1,” Rousseau said. “Local jurisdictions, both cities and counties, can exceed the governor’s guidelines, but cannot have guidelines that are less stringent.”

“Quite frankly, we’d like to see the city of Fresno change their orders to be in compliance with the state,” he added. “It would be a lot easier for all of us. … It can be confusing at times when you’ve got different direction in different cities and communities, or the county for that matter.”

Rousseau said that the county has issued guidelines, rather than orders, for the public to follow, and sought voluntary compliance. Sheriff Margaret Mims has had some of her deputies talk with people who weren’t following the social-distancing guidelines, “but we’ve not even come close to issuing any citations,” he said. “She really doesn’t want to go there if she doesn’t have to, and frankly, the Board (of Supervisors) doesn’t want her to go there.”

But in some instances, Rousseau acknowledged, more stringent enforcement could be necessary. “I think the majority of people are following proper social distancing and not putting themselves at risk,” he said. “But there are a small minority that have flouted this crisis and not taken it as seriously as we’d like.”

“There are times when things happen that shouldn’t happen because people are being extremely careless, and that’s where law enforcement comes into play,” he added. “We haven’t had to do anything as a county, but that doesn’t mean it won’t come up in the future. … And if this virus kicks its ugly head the second time it comes around or if it continues or gets potentially worse, then we’re going to have to enforce the stay-at-home (rules) as best we can.”

This story was originally published May 5, 2020 at 5:13 PM.