Coronavirus updates: Fresnans can browse car lots; 82 new cases, 2 deaths in Tulare County

The central San Joaquin Valley will likely see another day of triple-digit increase in the number of positive cases of the coronavirus.

A total of 117 new cases were reported across the six-county region on Monday, with the largest increases coming from Fresno and Kings counties (which confirmed 60 and 32 new cases, respectively).

On Tuesday, Tulare County recorded 82 new cases. The county continues to have the largest numbers in the region for total case count (1,241) and deaths (52).

The county has reported two deaths daily since Friday.

Johns Hopkins University reports that the number of total deaths in the U.S. from COVID-19 has surpassed 80,000.

Employees at two food-processing plants test positive

Two more area food-processing facilities have reported positive cases of the coronavirus.

AC Foods confirmed on Tuesday that two employees at the Legacy Packing and Shipping plant in Dinuba tested positive for COVID-19. On Monday, Leprino Foods confirmed that an employee at its Lemoore West cheese-making facility had tested positive.

Both companies said the employees will not be allowed to work until medically cleared and that extra precaution are in place for the remaining workers.

Valley Children’s begins rescheduling appointments, surgeries

After more than two months of limiting access to Valley Children’s for some elective, non-urgent surgeries and many visits, the hospital has begun a gradual “phasing in” of those services.

“We have been as thoughtful in rescheduling care for our children as we were in responding to and preparing for this pandemic,” Valley Children’s President and CEO Todd Suntrapak said in a news release.

“The only thing that has mattered to us since the outbreak of COVID-19 was the safety of our patients, their families and our physicians and staff” he said. “We adapted to every change — and in some cases, applied more stringent practices — to ensure that our kids, their families and our staff and their own families would be safe.”

To that end, the hospital has supplied adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for all staff member, and requires social distancing practices and masks to be worn by everyone inside the facilities. There is also extensive cleaning throughout the day.

Other precautions include: Drive-through visitor screenings as you enter hospital property on the Madera campus, to identify patients or visitors with respiratory symptoms, though the hospital is not not conducting COVID-19 tests at the screening area.

Patients and visitors are screened at all entrances with questions regarding health and possible exposure to COVID-19. A temperature reading will also take place.

Everyone (older than 2 years of age) is required to wear a mask at all Valley Children’s locations, with the only exception being inpatient units of the Madera hospital campus when a visitor is in their child’s room. Visitors are welcome to wear their own masks. If they do not have a personal mask, a disposable mask will be provided.

Visitors are limited to one parent/guardian or direct caregiver per patient. Other visitors and non-essential vendors are not allowed.

New signage has been added throughout the facilities to remind families of the social distancing, mask guidelines and other changes.

Fresno students can ‘graduate twice’

Fresno Unified high school seniors will get a chance to “graduate twice” – virtually and in person, Superintendent Bob Nelson said this week in an online forum.

School officials have said traditional commencement ceremonies in June are not possible, but Fresno-area schools are working on plans to honor graduating seniors in a series of virtual celebrations and have promised a traditional commencement in the future.

The online ceremonies begin May 21 and continue through June 3.

Fresno, reopening: Phase 1

Monday marked day one of eased restrictions for a handful of “authorized” retailers in Fresno, including liquor stores and car lots.

Several categories of “low risk” stores were allowed to physically open their doors. A large number of other businesses — auto, truck, boat, motorcycle, RV and mobile home dealers, furniture stores, electronics and camera stores, spa and pool stores, lawn and garden equipment stores, new construction, building and remodeling supply stores, and auctions — are allowed one customer per 500 square feet of space.

Customers and employees are still required to wear facial coverings such as masks when visiting businesses. The emergency order also says “businesses shall not allow entry of any individual who is not wearing a protective facial covering,” unless that person is under age 2 or has a medical condition that precludes wearing a mask.

On the county side, all parks and campgrounds have also reopened, with safeguards. They will operate at 50% capacity and all play structures and group picnic shelters within the facilities will remain closed until further notice. The public is asked to limit groups to 10 people and to wear face masks when proper social distancing cannot be maintained.

Fresno jets to do flyover salute

F-15 jets from Fresno’s California Air National Guard fighter wing will salute the state’s emergency workers and first responders with a flyover Wednesday morning.

The fighters will take off from the Fresno base at 10 a.m. and circle the state in a 2-hour flight that includes Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Body cam footage released

The Fresno Police Department released body camera footage of an interaction outside a north Fresno restaurant that ended with a man handcuffed and placed in a patrol car.

The incident happened outside the Waffle Shop on Sunday. The restaurant had been operating for several days in violation of the city’s emergency order and had received a warning and a fine of $1,000. A second fine of $5,000 was issued on Sunday.

In the video, customers are seen blocking an officer from entering the restaurant while city workers attempted to issue the fine.

Fresno Police Chief Andy Hall said in a statement that accompanied the video that the officer acted within the law and business patrons obstructed him as he carried out his job. “I am asking the public to always respect the authority of a police officer. Pushing, striking, delaying or obstructing an officer is against the law,” Hall said.

On Tuesday, the restaurant had returned to service take-out only.

This story was originally published May 12, 2020 at 8:16 AM.