Coronavirus updates: Fresno Unified’s first week back; supervisor opposes county lawsuit

California reached 12,000 deaths from the coronavirus this weekend as August becomes the deadliest month for COVID-19 in the central San Joaquin Valley.

Health officials on Monday reported 14 more people died of causes related to the disease.

Tulare County reported six deaths. Merced County reported seven deaths and Madera County reported one death.

Since March, 668 people in the six-county Valley region have died of the coronavirus, according to health officials. Of those, 214 death have occurred since Aug. 1. In July, there were 206 deaths reported.

Fresno County reported 21 deaths on Friday and continues to lead the region’s death count. So far, 226 people have died of the coronavirus in the county.

That’s 10 more than in Tulare County, where 216 people have died.

And that’s 110 more still than in Merced County, where the seven deaths reported Monday put the county into the triple digits. One-hundred-six people have died of the coronavirus, according to health officials. Madera and Kings County both remain below 100 deaths (at 50 and 68, respectively). Mariposa County has reported just two deaths.

The region added nearly 800 positive cases on Monday, including 217 in Fresno County, which continues to lead the Valley in total case count with almost 23,500 cases. Tulare added 178 new cases in its Tuesday update and has now seen 13,609 positive cases.

More than 54,000 positive cases have been reported across the six counties since early March. Of those, more than 34,000 are considered recovered.

A look at the first week back at Fresno schools

Compared to the previous year, thousands of more Fresno Unified School District students missed class during the first week of distance learning.

The official first day of school was Aug. 17, but instruction began Wednesday. Out of the roughly 73,000 Fresno Unified students, about 85% of students logged in for class on Wednesday, and on Thursday and Friday, 90% of students showed up. Last school year, 93% of students showed up for the first day of school in Fresno; 94% of students went to classes the second day and 97% on the third day, according to data from the district.

In Clovis, school attendance numbers were nearly identical to the first week of school in prior years — before the coronavirus forced classrooms online.

Fresno County supervisor on school opening: COVID-19 isn’t a ‘killing machine’

In a news conference Monday, Fresno County Supervisor Steve Brandau said he is opposed to a lawsuit filed by the county’s health department against the private Christian Immanuel Schools of Reedley.

“If COVID-19 was an unmitigated killing machine, I could support a lawsuit that would shut anything and everything down. That is also not the case,” Brandau said.

Brandau cited education organizations who have noted that in-person education is beneficial for students as a reason for supporting Immanuel Schools reopening to children for in-person classes.

“At this time, when I examine COVID-19, I don’t think it’s worth neighbors suing neighbors,” Brandau said.

Last week, the county filed paperwork asking judge to order the school to close to students. Over the weekend, the school set up a legal defense fund to oppose the filing in court.

Virtual rental inspections a go in Fresno

Rental inspections in the city of Fresno are no longer on hold.

Fresno City Council President Miguel Arias and the city’s code enforcement division announced on Tuesday the launch of virtual rental inspections. Inspections, which had been on hold due to COVID-19 concerns, can now be done virtually with the use of cell phone or tablet computers.

“We’re glad to announce the launch of a virtual rental inspection program that not only continues to ensure our residents are not living in slum lord conditions but is also mindful of the current pandemic. This will ensure we protect the health and safety of not only our inspectors, but also our residents,” Council President Miguel Arias said in a statement.

Fees may be waived for the rental inspections pending council approval.

This story was originally published August 25, 2020 at 8:50 AM.