Fresno County reports largest single-day COVID-19 increase as Valley cases rise
Fresno County reported its largest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases on Thursday, adding 158 new coronavirus cases and one more death.
Fresno County now has 3,058 COVID-19 cases and 62 deaths.
The majority of those falling ill from the virus in Fresno County are between the age of 18 and 49 (approximately 1,700 people).
Tulare County reported another 123 cases on Thursday, putting its countywide total at 3,004, with 107 COVID-19 deaths.
The central San Joaquin Valley has become a worrisome COVID-19 hotspot in California.
There have been 58 COVID-19 deaths this month in the Valley, just looking at Fresno, Tulare, Kings, Madera, Merced and Mariposa counties.
Valley hospitalizations have increased each day over the past week. There are 177 people hospitalized because of coronavirus across the region, as of state data Wednesday – the highest total to date.
Deaths at Valley nursing homes
About half of Fresno County’s deaths have been patients at skilled nursing facilities.
Since The Bee’s last nursing home update on Monday, one more patient has died at Dycora Transitional Health & Living - Fresno – 30 deaths in total at that facility, the highest in the state.
In addition, three more Valley nursing homes since Monday reported COVID-19 in their facilities for the first time, according to state data: Dycora - Fowler and Rolling Hills Care Center in Fresno County, and Hanford Post Acute in Kings County (each reported fewer than 11 health care workers with coronavirus).
Coronavirus outbreaks at skilled nursing facilities in the Valley were mentioned by the state as reasons for putting Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Kern counties on a fluctuating watch list of California counties currently receiving more support from the state.
COVID-19 in other Valley counties
There are at least 8,853 coronavirus cases and 192 deaths from the virus across the central San Joaquin Valley.
Here are the latest COVID-19 case counts in other Valley counties, as of the latest numbers available Thursday afternoon.
Kings County: 36 more cases (1,976 cases) and 10 deaths
Madera County: 20 more cases (295 total) and four deaths
Merced County: 20 more cases (538 total) and eight deaths
Mariposa County: 18 cases and one death
This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 4:18 PM.
