Merced County adds 260 new coronavirus cases in a week, total cases rise above 800
Known Merced County coronavirus cases reported since the beginning of the pandemic rose past 800 on Friday, as County Public Health reported 33 additional infections, raising the total to 824.
In one week, local infections have climbed by 260 new cases from the prior Friday. This marks a sharp increase from the week before, when 155 positive cases were reported in the same period.
Recoveries continued to hold stagnant at 365 for the fourth day in a row. Meanwhile, the number of persons actively sick increased to 448 from 415 — meaning over half of the county’s total caseload is made up of infected residents. A total of 11 Merced County residents have died.
The current number of residents hospitalized decreased from 26 to 24, while the aggregate number of residents ever hospitalized rose from 78 to 82, according to County Public Health officials.
The bulk of local coronavirus infections are concentrated in the City of Merced, where 347 individuals have tested positive since the pandemic’s start. Atwater and Los Banos claim the next most with 111 and 103 cases respectively.
While other area communities are affected by the pandemic, all have less than 60 cases each.
Two coronavirus outbreaks were reported Thursday at Dutch Bros Coffee in Merced and New Bethany Residential Care in Los Banos.
One resident and two employees tested positive for the disease at New Bethany, a retirement home, as of Thursday. Infected Dutch Bros employees tallied four.
County Public Health officials told the Sun-Star on Friday that no new updates were available concerning the number or results of persons tested in connection to the outbreaks.
The state defines a workplace outbreak as three or more confirmed cases at most work locations, but just one positive COVID-19 case at skilled nursing facilities. This is due to the high risk setting of such facilities.
As coronavirus cases increase in number and severity, both intensive care unit capacity and availability of ventilators is stretched thin locally, County Public Health officials have said recently.
State officials have also warned that continually mounting infections could impact the economy remaining open.
Public Health officials say the most effective measures residents can take to avoid another round of shuttered businesses — and more unnecessary deaths — is to practice basic preventative precautions. These include wearing a mask, regularly washing hands and disinfecting surfaces.
Coronavirus regionally
Infections continued to climb around the Valley on Friday. The region has recently been identified as a coronavirus hotspot, prompting the state to watch the region.
Stanislaus, Tulare and Fresno counties are among the 15 being monitored by the state due to elevated disease transmission, increasing hospitalization and limited hospital capacity.
Fresno County reported 321 new cases for a total of 4,374. One new death raised the tally to 72.
Stanislaus County’s 69 new cases brought the tally to 1,940. No new deaths were reported.
Tulare County is up 59 infections to 3,705 total. Three new fatalities were reported, raising the tally to 122.
Madera County reported 32 new infections, bringing the total to 383. Now new deaths were reported.
Mariposa County rose by one case to 23 total. No new deaths were reported.
This story was originally published June 26, 2020 at 5:59 PM.
