Merced County reports two new COVID-19 deaths, 23 new cases on Thursday
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The Merced County Department of Public Health reported two new COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, bringing the total of fatalities to 452 since the start of the pandemic.
Of the latest deaths, one was a man and one was a female. Both of the deceased were over the age of 65, with at least one known to have underlying health conditions.
On Thursday, Merced County also reported 23 new confirmed coronavirus cases, increasing total cases since the beginning of the pandemic to 31,151..
Merced County was promoted into the less-restrictive red tier on Wednesday.
Under red Tier 2, which denotes “substantial” risk of viral spread in the county, restaurants that have been limited to only take-out, delivery or outdoor dining since January are allowed to begin serving diners in their indoor dining rooms, but with limitations including a cap of 25% capacity to allow for physical distancing, and requirements for staff to wear face coverings.
Fitness gyms and health clubs can reopen their indoor facilities at up to 10% capacity.
There are 502 residents who are estimated to be currently infected by the virus.
The number of residents hospitalized in Merced County due to the coronavirus is 6 — with four people in the ICU.
According to the state, Merced County hospitals had 10 ICU beds remaining as of Thursday.
Merced County has a positivity rate of 3.9%, indicating the level of people among those tested who had a positive result.
Around the Valley
Fresno County: reported 19 new COVID-19 cases, 100,376 to date; four new deaths, 1,640 deaths to date.
Stanislaus County: 92 new cases, 53,784 to date; three new deaths, 1,026 to date.
Kings County: Seven new cases, 22,737 to date; no additional deaths, 245 to date.
Madera County: 14 new cases, 16,135 to date; no additional deaths, 239 to date.
Mariposa County: Two new cases, 419 to date; no additional deaths, seven to date.
Tulare County: 37 new cases, 49,355 to date; two additional deahts, 827 to date.
Valleywide, more than 220,000 people have contracted COVID-19 since the first local cases were reported 13 months ago. The region’s death toll from the virus to date is 3,410.
