Active COVID-19 hospitalizations nearly double for Merced County. Newsom orders schools shut
Following a brief drop in new cases Thursday, laboratory confirmed coronavirus cases in Merced County were back up significantly Friday with the addition of 90 infections, according to Merced County Department of Public Health numbers.
Friday’s report raised the total local cases since the pandemic began to 2,403.
Notably, the County Department of Public Health reported that the number of residents now hospitalized due to severe COVID-19 illness nearly doubled to 59 — up from 31 Thursday.
This includes residents hospitalized locally and in other counties’ facilities.
The increase is due to local hospitals reporting a significant increase in patients over the last two days and because of a lag in case reporting, according to a County Public Health news release.
Infections presumed active, meaning they were confirmed within the last two weeks, again decreased slightly — but only by one case, leaving the tally at 1,131.
No additional fatalities were reported Friday. Three residents have died this week after contracting the virus, raising the number of residents’ lives COVID-19 has claimed to 15.
At 15.5%, Merced County’s positive case rate is about twice as high Friday as the state’s self-imposed maximum threshold of 8%. This means COVID-19 test results are coming back positive at a far higher rate than the state would like.
About half of the county’s total caseload is still under investigation by Public Health officials to determine the transmission source.
Transmission categories defined by County Public Health include those acquired outside of the county, cases acquired in the community but from an unknown source, infections traced to a specific person and cases transmitted through a healthcare setting.
Increasing levels of transmission and a rising number of cases serious enough require hospitalization are among the factors that led to Merced County recently being placed on the California Department of Public Health’s watch list of counties showing alarming COVID-19 case demographics.
Being put on that list has led to increased state-mandated business and church closures. At least 80% of California’s population is now subject to more stringent precautionary requirements.
Most recently, Merced County’s place on the watch list means it is prohibited from physically reopening school doors to students for in-person classes this fall.
New school rules
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Friday announcement detailed a framework by the CDPH for schools to follow as the academic year soon kicks off amid the pandemic.
Districts in counties like Merced that have been flagged for dangerous coronavirus data can only open in person after the county shows a 14-day decline in COVID-19 numbers. This means an unconventional start to the school year in most of the state.
Statewide, the instructions require staff and children in grades three and higher to wear masks. Face coverings for younger children will be strongly encouraged, with the exception of children with certain medical conditions being exempt from the mandate.
Schools are directed to provide masks to children without one. If a student refuses to wear a face covering, they’ll be sent home for distance learning.
California has purchased 18 million child-sized masks for schools across the state.
The guidelines also include safety precautions like social distancing and health screenings, including temperature and symptom checks.
Testing and contact tracing are another component. If students or educators test positive for the virus, a classroom would have to close and quarantine for 14 days.
If an entire student body and staff combined reach an infection rate of 5%, the school must close. A widespread outbreak in a district means it has to shut down. Newsom’s plan relies upon community contact tracers to help schools monitor possible outbreaks.
Newsom’s plan allocates $5.3 billion in education funding through the state budget to ensure schools provide adequate distance learning options should they choose to do online-only instruction.
