Coronavirus updates: Visalia school to open as day camp; A second child dies in Fresno County

After more than a week in decline, the number of people hospitalized by the cornonavirus in Fresno County has increased, according to date released by state health officials on Thursday.

Two-hundred and thirty-three people were in the hospital on Tuesday. That number went up to 245 on Wednesday, though the number of those being treated in ICUs dropped by one.

This comes as the county added 369 new positive cases of COVID-19, according to state data. That’s about half of the 703 positive cases reported across the central San Joaquin Valley on Thursday. Tulare County added another 95 cases in its Friday update.

The six-county region has now seen more than 51,000 coronavirus cases and 633 related deaths, including four deaths reported Thursday and at least two death on Friday.

Tulare County continues to have the most reported deaths. So far, 210 people have died, including two deaths reported on Friday. Fresno County is close behind, with 205 reported deaths.

Tulare County also has the highest number of recoveries. More than 11,000 of its 13,022 cases are considered recovered.

Second Fresno child dies from coronavirus

Another child has died from coronavirus in Fresno County, according to information from the county’s Department of Public Health.

Fresno County’s Interim Health Officer, Dr. Rais Vohra, could not provide any specific information about the case, but the child was 17 years old or younger, according to county data.

This is the second child to die from the coronavirus in the county. The first, was reported last month and was the first first pediatric death due to COVID-19 in the state.

Visalia school plans to open under day camp rules

Visalia’s Central Valley Christian Schools will open its campus to students on Sept. 8, operating under the rules of a day camp in order to skirt the state order requiring public and private schools on California’s coronavirus watchlist to remain closed.

The school announced plans on Thursday, even as it awaits a waiver that allows elementary schools to open, if it can prove it can do so safely. The Tulare County Health Department has previously said it is not granting any waivers, as coronavirus cases steadily continue in the region. It is unclear how CVC’s high school or middle school could operate, even if the waiver were granted.

The department on Friday said it is aware of local schools choosing to operate as Day Camps, but that it does not have any regulatory authority or oversight of day camps and therefore cannot approve or deny a school from operating as such.

Health Officials are discouraging any effort to congregate children from multiple households and are in communication with local school officials to encouraging the practice of distance learning as much as possible until COVID-19 case rates decline.

This isn’t the only school welcoming students to campus.

Outside Creek Elementary School, which is also in Tulare County, has already welcomed its students back to class. The school is less than 13 miles away from CVC and has about 90 students. Immanuel Schools in Reedley opened its doors on Aug. 13 despite an order to close from the Fresno County Department of Public Health.

Fresno extend $5 million rental assistance program

Fresno City Council on Thursday voted to extended its $5 million rental assistance program through the end of the year.

Co-sponsored by Councilmembers Soria, Miguel Arias and Luis Chavez, the program offers grants of $1,500 to individuals and $3,000 for families with applications available at one of the six area nonprofits.

The council also voted 5-2 to give about $2 million in federal CARES Act relief to Fresno Building Healthy Communities for COVID-19 prevention education, contract tracing and other support.

Councilmember Garry Bredefeld, who along with Councilmember Paul Caprioglio cast a “no” vote, attempted to get the council to commit the money elsewhere, because of concerns with Building Healthy Communities’ president Sandra Celedon and the organization’s relationship with the city.

Building Healthy Communities currently has a lawsuit against the city over Measure P, the failed parks tax.

Food and face mask distribution event held in Selma

The First Friendship Baptist Church is hosting a food and face mask distribution event, 9-11 a.m. Saturday at the church on Shaft Street in Selma. Walk-up and drive-through options will be available. Organizers ask those in attendance to wear face masks and maintain six-feet of social distance.

The event is being held in partnership with the church, Central Valley Allies of Change and the 559 Mural Project.

Worship service/protest concert headed to Pismo Beach

Christian musician and activist Sean Feucht, who brought his “Let Us Worship” tour to Fresno in July, is bringing the outdoor-church-service-turned-protest-rally to San Luis Obispo.

The event happens 6 p.m. Friday on the beach near Lifeguard Station 1 at the end of Addie Street.

The rally does not require a special event permit because it is a protest. Those who do attend are encouraged to wear masks and social distance, organizers said.

This story was originally published August 21, 2020 at 8:20 AM.