Coronavirus update: Fresno County infection rate hits 9%; Madera County on state watch list

Across the central San Joaquin Valley, the number of new coronavirus cases announced by health officials on Monday grew by more than 1,200. It was by far the most cases reported in the region in a single day since the global pandemic reached this part of the state.

Fresno County reported 489 cases and one death in its update on Monday. There were also big countywide increases in Tulare (320 new cases), Merced (258 new cases) and Madera (135 new cases and two related deaths).

Tulare County added another 166 cases and three new deaths in its update Tuesday morning.

Kings County confirmed 44 cases on Monday. The lower number is likely do to the fact the county updated its numbers throughout the weekend. It did have the largest number of reported coronavirus deaths on Monday. Of the seven deaths reported in the region on Monday, four were in Kings County. Fresno County reported one death and Madera County reported two.

Two-hundred-seventy-three people have now died of the coronavirus across the region, according to health officials in the six counties.

More people tested, more people testing positive

After struggling for several months to ramp up its testing capacity, Fresno County has finally achieved the state’s threshold of about 1,500 tests per day.

But a higher percentage of those getting tested are positive for COVID-19, even if they’re not showing symptoms, according to Dr. Rais Vohra, Fresno County’s interim health officer. As of Monday afternoon, the Fresno County Department of Public Health reported that 9.1% — or 91 out of every 1,000 — tests are coming back positive.

A week ago, it was a little more than 8% – an indicator that the transmission of the virus is spreading, not retreating.

Madera added to state watch list

Madera County over the weekend was added to the list of counties being monitored by the state for “elevated disease transmission” — more than 100 new cases for every 100,000 residents over a 14-day period. That county has also exceeded the threshold of 8% positive result rate for testing.

As of Monday, Madera County reported that 11.1% of its coronavirus tests were coming back as positive over the past seven days.

Fresno, Kings and Tulare counties are also being monitored.

Online-only learning could get students deported

U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement agency on Monday released new guidelines for international students.

Of significance: students taking classes in the U.S. this fall could face deportation if their schools switch to online-only learning during the coronavirus pandemic. The government-run Student and Exchange Visitor program had exempted international students from rules requiring enrollment in in-person classes during the spring and summer.

The new guidelines would walk back those exemptions for fall 2020. This as colleges and universities across the state have begun to announce their plans for fall, most of which do not include fully reopening their campuses.

Pismo’s does not have outdoor dining, health official says

After a weekend of debate about what constitutes outdoor dining under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order to close restaurants, Fresno County’s top health official weighed in Monday.

Talking about Fresno’s Pismo’s Coastal Grill, which has remained open because of large garage-style roll-up windows its owner believes should exempt it from the order, Dr. Rais Vohra said “as it stands now, the open windows would not be enough to consider that outdoor dining – and I know that’s a somewhat controversial statement,” he said.

“As it stands, it’s still considered indoor dining.”

The restaurants remains open, even as it received five citations since late last week – three from city code enforcement and two from California’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Outbreak, broken AC, cause problems at Mendota federal prison

The heat and simmering tensions at Mendota federal prison 35 miles west of Fresno have prompted the prison’s union to launch a new round of appeals to the Department of Justice.

The complaints centered on safety and alleged retaliation against staff members who try to report problems stemming from a broken the air conditioning system and an outbreak of the coronavirus that has already hit two employees. A third has symptoms and is awaiting test results.

All three worked in an area supervising the special housing unit, commonly known as solitary confinement that employees were telling management that the area needed to be sanitized more often.

This story was originally published July 7, 2020 at 8:28 AM.