Coronavirus update: Gov. Newsom orders more closures; Warning of ‘tragic July’ in Fresno County

The month of June was particularly harsh as the spread of the coronavrius continued across the central San Joaquin Valley.

Over March, April and May — the first three months of the pandemic in the area — a total of 5,341 confirmed infections were reported. In June, 7,826 people tested positive for the virus. That includes 623 cases — and four deaths — added across the six counties on Tuesday. The region ended the month averaging more than 350 new cases each day.

July started on a similar note.

Tulare County added 167 new cases and two deaths in its Wednesday update. Countywide, there have been 4,323 positive cases. More than 13,300 positive cases have been confirmed in Fresno, Kings, Madera, Marisposa, Merced and Tulare counties.

Nearly 250 people in the region have died from the coronavirus.

Of those, 112 were reported in June. For comparison, 81 deaths were reported in May, 51 in April and two in March.

Gavin Newsom orders restaurants to shut down indoor dining again

In a major rollback on Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom called on 19 counties, including Tulare, Fresno, Kings and Merced, to shut down restaurants for indoor dining before the Fourth of July weekend.

Newsom also called on those counties to shut down indoor family entertainment venues including movie theaters, bowling alleys and arcades. Card rooms, indoor wineries and bars will also have to shut down in those counties. Restaurants will still be allowed to offer food for pick-up or delivery.

The order, he said, will be in force for at least three weeks.

Newsom’s Office of Emergency Services also launched strike teams to help enforce the order on Wednesday.

Fresno offers rent and mortgage assistance

The city of Fresno is offering the first wave of $5 million in grants to help people stay in their homes if they’ve been hurt financially by the coronavirus.

The first wave comes from $1.5 million in CARES Act relief money, according to the plan. Another $3.5 million is set to come later.

Co-sponsored by Councilmembers Esmeralda Soria, Miguel Arias and Luis Chavez, the program offers grants of $1,500 to individuals and $3,000 for families. There are income requirements to be eligible. A family of four has to make less than $55,900, for example.

Soria said the city leaders wanted to make the first wave available as quickly as possible. Applicants could get checks as soon as next week.

Situation in Fresno could become ‘very tragic’ in July

Fresno County’s interim health officer made a plea to residents on Tuesday, ahead of an expected public health advisory: “Get a mask and start using it.”

“It’s really time for all of us to get behind the science and do what we know is actually going to help our community,” said Dr. Rais Vohra, the doctor in charge of county’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If not, he said the county could see a situation that becomes “very tragic” in July based on the substantial increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 infections, deaths and hospitalizations among residents over the past couple of weeks.

Confusion follows state order to close bars

On Sunday, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered bars closed in seven counties, including Fresno, Tulare and Kings, due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases. Two days later, confusion was spreading over just which bars that applied to and if the county would enforce the order.

While the sheriff’s office won’t be arresting or citing bar owners for being open, the county’s environmental health team will be actively enforcing the bar closure. Bars are also at the discretion of the state and California Alcoholic Beverage Control, which oversees — and can revoke — liquor licenses.

There are some gray areas that allow bars to remain open — serving food for example — but officials are trying to minimize loopholes.

“If their essential function is to serve as a bar, even if they serve food as just a side item, then they should go ahead and close, as well,” Dr. Vohra said.

Clovis high schools cancel in-person commencement

School officials in Clovis had hope circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic would allow them to conduct traditional commencements in July. The district had reserved the Save Mart Center for the event.

On Tuesday, officials said public health challenges forced them to cancel those plans.

“We had high hopes that we would all of us be able to provide the opportunity to gather as a whole and celebrate the conclusion of your Clovis Unified education,” Superintendent Eimear O’Farrell said during a video announcement on Tuesday. “It is with profound disappointment that I share with you today news that this last celebration will not be possible.”

Clovis schools conducted hosted a string of smaller, in-person ceremonies for individual students in May and June.

Kings County COVID-19 survey

The Kings County Department of Public Health has created a survey regarding COVID-19 testing in the county.

The survey is available online and will help county as it works to expand its capacity to all county residents. More information on accessing free COVID-19 testing in Kings County is available at kingscovidinfo.com.

This story was originally published July 1, 2020 at 8:28 AM.