Coronavirus updates: Fresno County passes 15,000 cases. Clovis workers ordered to return
Fresno County’s latest addition of 365 positive results, which follows a multi-day increase, brings the total number of cases to 15,448, according to figures from the California Department of Public Health.
Fresno County continues to show a steady surge since mid-July, state numbers reveal. After 183 new cases were reported for July 15, the lowest single-day total since has been 252. The high was 521.
New cases across the state may be slowing down.
Although 9,224 Californians have died of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus, new infections are being reported at a lower rate now than was commonplace for much of July.
State data show that 500,130 Californians have been infected with coronavirus since the start of the pandemic. But the average number of new cases reported daily by state health officials is slowly going down. In the past week, the daily average has dropped by nearly 22%.
Tulare’s latest update
Tulare County reported 11 more deaths on Monday, the first update since Friday. That makes for 189 deaths, the most of any county in the central San Joaquin Valley.
Anther 221 cases reported the same day brings Tulare County to 9,675 cases since the pandemic began in March.
Clovis city workers returning to the office
Clovis officials are ordering public employees to return to the office, including those who have had work-from-home assignments during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to an email sent by City Manager Luke Serpa and confirmed by city officials, city department heads were instructed to tell employees to return to city offices effective Aug. 1.
Several offices and lobbies have been open since June, as have been parks and trails. The city employs 564 full-time workers, including police and firefighters.
Renter protections could expire
The first of August arrives with a renewed sense of worry for renters in California affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Until now, tenants have been protected by a series of overlapping rules on the county, state and federal levels which have put evictions on hold during the coronavirus pandemic. But as the suspensions begin to expire, tenants are staring over the edge of a cliff.
The Judicial Council of California announced it would vote on ending its emergency protections for tenants as early as Aug. 14, shifting the onus to act to legislators. With the deadline looming, Gov. Gavin Newsom has extended local governments’ ability to ban evictions until Sept. 30, but many are counting on the Legislature, which is considering multiple bills to extend that ban and protect tenants and property owners who have lost income.
Who gets the vaccine first once it’s available?
Experts are trying to determine who should be first to receive a coronavirus vaccine once one becomes available.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease specialist, said a vaccine could be ready by the end of the year and distributed to Americans in 2021, NPR reported.
A preliminary plan devised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this spring would give priority to medical workers, national security officials, essential workers, older people and those with underlying health conditions, the New York Times reported, with the general population following later.
More than 150 vaccines for the virus are in various stages of development across the world, National Geographic reported.
Christian camps struggle during COVID-19
San Joaquin Valley Christian summer camps are struggling as the coronavirus pandemic continues to punch holes in the economy.
The financial strain of COVID-19 has touched Christian camps like Calvin Crest above Oakhurst and Hume Lake Christian Camp near Grant Grove.
Due to COVID-19, Christian camps have continued hosting online camp sessions. Most camps have also opened their grounds for socially distanced family camping, but staffers say the experience is not the same.
This story was originally published August 3, 2020 at 7:54 AM.
