Coronavirus updates: Mariposa County reports first death; Tulare County adds 10 deaths
After no counties in the central San Joaquin Valley reported coronavirus-related deaths on Thursday, 11 deaths were reported by midday Friday.
Tulare County confirmed 10 more people (64 in total) had died in its online update around noon Friday.
Earlier in the day, health officials in Mariposa County confirmed the death of a 78-year-old woman.
COVID-19 was a known contributing factor to her death, as well as other underlying health issues, according to a news release from the sheriff’s department. The woman tested positive for the coronavirus last week. She had contracted it from a Stanislaus County nursing and rehabilitation center, health officials said.
As of Thursday, Mariposa County had 15 positive cases, and all but one had recovered.
More than 3,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in the six-county region. Of those, the majority are split between Fresno and Tulare counties, which have seen 1,074 and 1,295 cases, respectively.
Almost half (487) of Fresno County’s cases are in the city itself, which pockets of cases in Selma (112), Sanger (86), Reedley (68) and Clovis (56). The remaining cases are spread throughout the county’s other communities..
Statewide, the California Department of Public Health said Thursday afternoon that total cases for the state stood at 73,164 with 3,032 deaths.
New Valley nursing homes with COVID-19 deaths
Two more skilled nursing facilities in the central San Joaquin Valley have COVID-19 patient deaths: Dycora Transitional Health & Living - Manchester in central Fresno and Dinuba Healthcare in Tulare County.
Both have fewer than 11 patient deaths, according to a state list of these facilities. Eleven is the state’s threshold for reporting exact numbers.
Three more Valley nursing home also have coronavirus cases for the first time: Fowler Care Center (previously named Alice Manor) in Fresno County and Sierra View Medical Center and Gateway Post Acute in Tulare County. Each has fewer than 11 health care workers with COVID-19, per the state.
There have also been coronavirus deaths at Redwood Springs Healthcare Center in Visalia, Lindsay Gardens Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility in Lindsay, Linwood Meadows Care Center in Visalia and Sierra Valley Rehab Center in Porterville, all in Tulare County. Dycora - Fresno in downtown Fresno also previously reported COVID-19 patient deaths to the state.
COVID-19 cases at Valley nursing homes continue to grow. The Veterans Home of California, Fresno reported coronavirus cases for the first time earlier this week.
The state list of skilled nursing facilities was updated Friday afternoon, reflecting data as of Thursday instead of as of Wednesday. The latest update showed many facilities as not reporting data. Fresno County has 22 facilities listed with data N/A.
Fresno Unified unveils tool to track kid, teacher engagement
Fresno Unified School District officials this week added a “new tool” to its online learning platform, to ensure that students are engaged in distance learning and communicating with the teachers.
The tool was dded to the Atlas portal that students use for assignments. The students will now see “three different, non-graded assignments,” one for teacher’s outreach efforts, another on the student’s interaction and one for any follow-up that is needed for the week.
The additional comes after weeks of complaints from some parents that their children hadn’t been contacted by a teacher since campuses closed two months ago to combat the coronavirus. It also came the day after the district received a letter from the American Civil Liberties Union demanding Fresno Unified improve access to online tools communication with students and parents.
Fresno patient has rare disease that may be linked to COVID-19
Health experts around the world have been investigating links between the coronavirus and Kawasaki Disease in children.
The disease causes the body’s immune system to go overboard and attack the body’s own blood vessels — doctors are seeing symptoms in some children who have tested positive for the coronavirus.
That includes at least one patient at Valley Children’s Hospital, who is currently in the intensive care unit. The patient tested positive for the COVID-19 antibody test and lives with someone who had a severe case of COVID-19 in April, according to hospital administrators.
Saint Agnes resumes select services, elective surgeries
After weeks of deferring cases, Saint Agnes Medical Center will begin resuming select critical services and elective surgeries on Monday.
The hospital has remained open for emergent care and treatment, but non-essential cases were temporarily suspended per guidelines from the CDC and the American College of Surgeons.
The services that will resume include orthopedic, spine, gynecologic, urologic and general surgeries; interventional cardiology and screening endoscopy, among others.
“Saint Agnes is enhancing safety precautions already in place in order to resume select surgeries, procedures and other critical services as we remain committed to providing the safe, quality care we know our patients and communities need,” the hospital’s president and CEO Nancy Hollingsworth said in a release.
The hospital has created COVID-Free Zones, where its provides care only for people not known to have COVID-19 or COVID-19 symptoms and will perform temperature screenings of all patients, colleagues, physicians and visitors.
Visitations restrictions will continue at the hospital and all patients scheduled for elective procedures requiring an overnight stay will be tested for COVID-19 the day before or day of surgery/procedure. If a patient tests positive, the procedure will be postponed until a negative result is obtained.
Faith leaders hold prayer vigils across the state, including Fresno, Merced
The nonprofit group Power California is hosting a series of rallies the state on Friday, urging Congressional leaders to pass federal relief aid for individuals and state governments. The group, which includes a coalition of faith leaders, young people, health care workers and other essential workers, is calling on state leaders to pass a “moral budget,” one that saves lives and cares for the working people, “who have been caring for California during this crisis,” according to news release from the group.
“Californians are urging representatives and state leaders to not repeat the mistakes of the past by making the same decisions that left us vulnerable and unprepared for this crisis. Instead, leaders can have the courage to care and choose to invest in health, jobs and education now when we need these things the most,” the release said.
Rallies are expected to take place 11 a.m. Friday at Fresno City Hall and at the Merced County Building in Merced.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks remain closed
Those looking to visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks will wait until May 25, at least.
The parks to the east of Fresno on Thursday announced they will continue to remain closed to the public for the next week at least, while working on a phased plan to increase of access with guidance from the White House, CDC and state and local public health authorities. The parks have been closed since late March.
Updates on campground reservations, wilderness permits can be found online.
This story was originally published May 15, 2020 at 8:34 AM.