Coronavirus update: Region’s deaths keep climbing; Catholic diocese weighs resuming Mass
The number of deaths related to the coronavirus in the central San Joaquin Valley continue to tick up as the region now totals more than 125 fatal cases of COVID-19.
The deaths reported through Thursday come from Fresno, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced and Tulare. The same region has seen 4,589 positive cases of the new coronavirus.
In Fresno County, 198 of the 1,658 patients have been hospitalized.
Tulare County reported early Friday four new deaths from COVID-19 and nine new cases, bringing the county’s totals to 84 deaths and 1,844 cases, health officials said.
A total of 129 people in the six-county region have died from conditions related to the coronavirus.
Sierra Vista Mall reopening
The group that runs the Sierra Vista Mall will begin immediately to allow stores to open to shortened hours if they observe safety protocols.
The Namdar Realty Group said in a post on Instagram the mall will be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The change is effective as of Friday.
The shortened hours allow for extra cleaning, the post says. Individual stores can decide to open or remain closed temporarily.
Mall employees will be screened for symptoms, including their temperature, Namdar said. They’ll also be equipped with masks and gloves.
Employees and security guards will be asked to remind customers of social distancing, and seating in common areas like the food court will be limited, the post says.
Play areas, water fountains and mall walking programs will remain temporarily closed.
Yard sales are allowed but will be need to heed safety precautions
Residents are allowed once again to sell their goods from yards or garages as long as they practice social distancing, wear masks and follow other guidelines, according to city leaders.
Residents won’t be allowed to pair with their neighbors and are required to not allow more than 10 shoppers at a time. Sellers must also be able to provide receptacles for used gear and maintain sanitized surfaces.
The sellers must also mark their checkout lines with socially distant markers.
For specific questions, call 3-1-1 or visit the city of Fresno website at www.fresno.gov.
Second Fresno County inmate tests positive
An inmate at the Fresno County Jail has tested positive for the coronavirus, the second to do so, according to Fresno County Sheriff’s spokesperson Tony Botti.
The inmate was in quarantine at the jail and, after the test result came back on Thursday, was moved to an isolated pod for positive cases, Botti said.
The first inmate who tested positive on April 24 has returned to the jail’s general population. A correctional officer who tested positive this month has recovered and returned to work, according to Botti.
Fresno County contact tracing information
The Fresno County Department of Public Health is soon expanding efforts related to contact tracing, when county workers work to speak with those who may have been in close proximity to people who tested positive for the coronavirus, according to officials.
Residents may be reached by text message or phone in the coming days, according to a news release.
Tracing is important to help health officials track the spread of COVID-19 and to inform people who may need to get tested or quarantine themselves, officials said.
Officials said the phone calls or contacts will only ask questions related to the coronavirus, and never for banking information or a social security code.
Common questions include date of birth, email, home address and workplace. County workers may also ask about symptoms related to the virus or underlying health issues.
Informing rural communities is a struggle
Since the coronavirus pandemic spread to the central San Joaquin Valley in early March, a number of small grass-roots efforts have taken to spreading information in rural communities without their own local news sources.
In small Valley cities, many residents work outdoors and rely on word-of-mouth for much of their information, volunteers say.
Residents and volunteers also use social media pages to get out information about food distributions, coronavirus testing centers and unemployment relief.
Catholic churches weigh when to start Mass again
While several Roman Catholic dioceses in California announced plans to resume in-person mass in June, it’s unclear when the Diocese of Fresno will restart its services.
The Stockton, Orange and San Diego diocese are resuming in-person masses on June 14. The San Bernandino diocese is resuming its service on June 13. The Los Angeles Diocese may start as soon as June 3.
Bishop Joseph V. Brennan has formed a task force that will issue guidelines to the diocese’s parishes to follow once they “are able to resume public Masses,” according to Cheryl Sarkisian, new chancellor for the Diocese of Fresno.
The Diocese of Fresno, which covers Fresno, Tulare, Kings, Kern, Madera, Merced, Mariposa and Inyo counties, serves an estimated 1.2 million Catholics.
Event planned as shelter-in-place orders end
The Hot Rod Coalition plans a car show at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Old Town Clovis along Pollasky Avenue, its first since shelter in place orders went into effect.
The event was originally planned in downtown Fresno but has been moved to Clovis, according to a news release.
“This cruise is a 100% free, family friendly gathering where we encourage you to enjoy the beautiful weather, the classic cars and support the local businesses,” the news release said.
Feed the Frontlines Fresno reaches milestone
Feed the Frontlines Fresno launched its nonprofit project with its first food delivery on April 28 in an effort to support frontline workers like hospital employees.
Through Friday, a month after starting, the nonprofit has passed out 1,000 meals, according to a news release.
The effort came from a coalition of 100 donors, 25 local restaurants and thousands of frontline workers, the release says.
Fireworks at Bass Lake canceled
The annual Fourth of July fireworks show at Bass Lake has been canceled, according to a Facebook post from the Bass Lake Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber’s post said the event will surely return in 2021.
“This was a tough decision, one that took a lot of investigation and discussion,” the post said, “both internally and with the many regional partners we call upon annually to play key roles in making the event a success.”
Fresno chief comments on national news
Fresno Police Chief Andy Hall on Thursday took to Fresno Police Department’s Facebook page to speak out against the Minneapolis officers who have been accused of killing George Floyd.
Four Minneapolis police officers were fired after Floyd’s death, which sparked protests in the city and made national news. In graphic videos posted to social media, an officer kneels on Floyd’s neck and three other officers do not intervene as the man is heard telling the officers, “I cannot breathe.”
“This officer’s actions and those officers that stood by and watched the death of George Floyd violated the oath of the more than 800,000 men and women who dedicate their lives to serve their communities,” Hall said. “I am angry over the actions of these officers and they should be held accountable. The behavior demonstrated by the Minneapolis officers erodes the trust of our profession.”
This story was originally published May 29, 2020 at 8:02 AM.
