Merced County reports 20 new coronavirus cases, 211 active infections

Merced County Department of Health on Thursday reported 20 new coronavirus infections, increasing the county’s total caseload since the beginning of the pandemic to 538.

In the past six days, the county has recorded a total of 129 new infections. The number of people actively infected is 211, a high for active local cases. A total of 319 people have recovered locally, and eight people have died. A total of 54 people have been hospitalized since the pandemic’s start locally.

There have been 58 total COVID-19 deaths this month in the central San Joaquin Valley region of Merced, Mariposa, Madera, Fresno, Tulare and Kings counties.

Coronavirus outbreaks at skilled nursing facilities in the Valley were mentioned by the state as reasons for putting Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Kern counties on a fluctuating watch list of California counties currently receiving more support from the state.

Elsewhere in the San Joaquin Valley on Thursday:

Fresno County reported its largest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases on Thursday, adding 158 new coronavirus cases and one more death. Fresno County now has 3,058 COVID-19 cases and 62 deaths.

Stanislaus County deaths remained at 35 on Thursday. Positive tests are at 1,404, according to the county Health Services Agency. Another 20,432 residents have tested negative.

The majority of those falling ill from the virus in Fresno County are between the age of 18 and 49 (approximately 1,700 people).

Tulare County reported another 123 cases on Thursday, putting its countywide total at 3,004, with 107 COVID-19 deaths.

Madera County reported 20 more cases (295 total) and four deaths.

Mariposa County remained at 18 cases and one death.

This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 5:46 PM.