SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Editor’s note: This story shows updates about the coronavirus outbreak in San Diego and California from Aug. 25 - 27 (afternoon), 2020. Click here for real-time updates for Aug. 27, 2020 and on.
Key COVID-19 facts in San Diego and California:
- There are 37,499 confirmed cases in San Diego County and 673 reported deaths.
- There are 683,529 confirmed cases in California and 12,550 reported deaths.
- View San Diego County cases by zip code or city and find local testing sites.
- Click here for previous updates
Aug. 27
COVID-19 Community Response Fund surpasses $50 million in grants to help San Diegans in need
The San Diego Foundation Thursday announced the San Diego COVID-19 Community Response Fund has granted more than $50 million to over 160 nonprofit organizations helping San Diegans impacted by the COVID-19 health and economic crisis.
Organizers said the grants include $675,000 to 14 nonprofits delivering food assistance, healthcare and financial support to local communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
The funding also includes $25 million through the San Diego County Childcare Provider Grant Program, a partnership between the County of San Diego, The San Diego Foundation, Child Development Associates and YMCA of San Diego County that will distribute $25 million in CARES Act funding to childcare providers impacted by COVID-19.
Aug. 26
Governor plans to more than double California's COVID-19 testing capacity
Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled an ambitious new plan Wednesday to more than double the state's capacity to conduct COVID-19 testing, promising to decrease both the turnaround time for results, as well as the cost.
Under the plan, a new lab will be built over the next eight to 10 weeks and will be fully equipped to run an additional 150,000 Coronavirus tests daily, bringing the state's overall capacity to a quarter-million tests every day.
SDSU reports 2 new coronavirus cases on-campus
San Diego State officials reported two new coronavirus cases among students Wednesday evening.
University officials said the risk to campus remains low, and that both cases are unrelated and are not believed to be connected to any "off-campus gatherings."
This makes 27 total cases of coronavirus among the SDSU community since the start of the pandemic.
UC San Diego reports rise in COVID-19 social media scams involving fake treatments, testing kits
Researchers from UC San Diego's School of Medicine found nearly 2,000 fraudulent posts related to COVID-19 tied to financial scams and possible counterfeit goods, according to a study published Wednesday.
During the pandemic, social media platforms have played a major role in conveying information from health care leaders and government officials to communities about how to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Yet according to the study, as quickly as new and accurate information on the virus becomes available, so too do counterfeit health products, such as illegal or unapproved testing kits, untested treatments and purported cures.
San Diego County health officials and Office of Education superintendent give COVID-19 update
You can watch the update here. San Diego County is reporting another 228 confirmed coronavirus cases and three additional deaths, raising the countywide totals since the start of the pandemic to 37,222 cases and 668 deaths. The 14-day rolling average for positive tests is at 3.6%.
Click here for the full story. For more on plans to test teachers and school staff members, click here.
Governor Newsom updates state's response to wildfires and COVID-19
During Wednesday's update, the governor addressed a new contract the state signed on testing. Newsom says the new contract will drastically cut the cost per COVID test.
He also gave a general update on all of the fires burning throughout the state.
To listen to the update in its entirety, click here.
Aug. 25
All San Diego County schools can re-open on September 1 if they choose to
In less than a week schools in San Diego County will be able to re-open.
In a virtual briefing on Tuesday with educators, County Health Officer Dr. Wilma Wooten said school waivers are being suspended since COVID-19 cases are expected to stay below 100 per 100,000 by next week and all schools in the county can re-open starting Sept. 1.
Chula Vista casino reopens outdoors
Seven Mile Casino has reopened underneath a 5,500 square foot tent. This is how it shifted its operations to comply with the health order.
San Diego County reports 267 new COVID-19 cases, 5 new deaths
San Diego County health officials on Tuesday reported 267 new COVID-19 cases and 5 new deaths bringing the totals to 36,994 and 665 respectively. The 14-day rolling average percentage of positive cases is 3.6%.
The county's state-calculated case rate is 81.0. The County was removed from the state’s monitoring list Aug. 18. The County will now need to report a case rate below 100 cases per 100,000 population for an additional six days before schools grades K-12 can reopen.
No other businesses can reopen until the state provides further guidance.
With school online, San Diego Blood Bank asks for donations to make up lost blood drives
With schools and colleges moving online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the San Diego Blood Bank put out a call to the public Tuesday asking for more blood donations as campus blood drives are canceled or put on hiatus.
According to the blood bank, it is working with schools on creative avenues to support blood donation, such as community drives. However, high school and college blood drives would normally start this week -- meaning the loss of hundreds of pints of blood.
For the full story, click here.
San Diego County Board of Supervisors to vote on $6.4 billion budget
The $6.4 billion recommended budget for fiscal year 2020-21 will go before the Board of Supervisors for deliberations and adoption starting at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The budget addresses COVID-19, the economic crisis and calls for social justice and racial equality.
Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, after listening to input from the 16 community organizations that represents the Invest In San Diego Families Coalition and others, is making recommended changes to the $6.4 billion County of San Diego budget.
Supervisor Nathan Fletcher held a media conference Tuesday morning. You can watch the full video here.
View all News 8 coverage of coronavirus / COVID-19
News 8 has joined forces with The San Diego Foundation to raise immediate, emergency funds for our most vulnerable neighbors in need. Here is how you can help.
BACKGROUND:
On February 11, 2020 the World Health Organization announced an official name for the disease that is causing the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak, first identified in Wuhan China. The new name of this disease is coronavirus disease 2019, abbreviated as COVID-19. In COVID-19, "CO" stands for "corona," "VI" for "virus," and "D" for disease. Formerly, this disease was referred to as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV”.
There are many types of human coronaviruses including some that commonly cause mild upper-respiratory tract illnesses. COVID-19 is a new disease, caused by a novel (or new) coronavirus that has not previously been seen in humans.
Currently, there is no vaccine, however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, as with any other respiratory illness:
Know how it spreads:
- The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
- The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
- Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
- Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.
- These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
- Some recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms.
Protect yourself and others
Wash your hands often
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- It’s especially important to wash:
- Before eating or preparing food
- Before touching your face
- After using the restroom
- After leaving a public place
- After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
- After handling your cloth face covering
- After changing a diaper
- After caring for someone sick
- After touching animals or pets
- If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact
- Inside your home: Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- If possible, maintain 6 feet between the person who is sick and other household members.
- Outside your home: Put 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household.
- Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread virus.
- Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people.
- Keeping distance from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others
- You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick.
- The cloth face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected.
- Everyone should wear a cloth face cover in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancingmeasures are difficult to maintain.
- Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
- Do NOT use a facemask meant for a healthcare worker. Currently, surgical masks and N95 respirators are critical supplies that should be reserved for healthcare workers and other first responders.
- Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.
Cover coughs and sneezes
- Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow and do not spit.
- Throw used tissues in the trash.
- Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Clean and disinfect
- Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
- If surfaces are dirty, clean them. Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
- Then, use a household disinfectant. Most common EPA-registered household disinfectants will work.
Monitor your health daily
- Be alert for symptoms. Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19.
- Especially important if you are running essential errands, going into the office or workplace, and in settings where it may be difficult to keep a physical distance of 6 feet.
- Take your temperature if symptoms develop.
- Don’t take your temperature within 30 minutes of exercising or after taking medications that could lower your temperature, like acetaminophen.
- Follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop.
The California Department of Public Health has issued guidance on the use of cloth face coverings to protect against the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
As of April 4, 2020, all employees in San Diego County who may have contact with the public in any grocery store, pharmacy/drug store, restaurant or food establishments, convenience store or gas station are required to wear a cloth face covering while at work as an additional measure to help “flatten the curve” in the San Diego region.
As of May 1, San Diego County requires everyone in the county to wear face coverings in many public settings. The coverings help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and are part of our path to reopening San Diego. See full health order here.
While officials say these face coverings are not a substitute for practices like social distancing and handwashing, there is evidence to suggest that the use of cloth face coverings by the public during a pandemic could help reduce disease transmission. Officials do not recommend the public use N-95 or surgical masks which are needed by health care workers and first responders.