Coronavirus updates: Sacramento County infections top 900, Placerville demands normalcy

Although some public health experts suggest that the United States is nearing the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, the virus continues to wreak havoc in hospitals and especially in nursing homes, where the most vulnerable populations live.

In California, more than 1,740 nursing home residents and 1,290 employees have tested positive for COVID-19 across 21 counties.

The New York Times reported Friday that at least 7,000 people have been killed in nursing homes, a grim reminder of the disproportionately high mortality rate of the virus among elderly patients.

As the pandemic began to strike Sacramento County, some of the earliest reported cases came out of a nursing home in Elk Grove, where the county’s first death was also reported. One of the state’s largest hotspots is in Woodland’s Stollwood Convalescent Hospital at St. John’s Retirement Village where 31 staffers and 24 patients have been infected.

The California Department of Public Health recently released a list of affected nursing homes in the state, reflecting the vulnerability of the 65 and up demographic.

More than one fifth — 21 percent — of all skilled nursing facilities in California have reported COVID-19 cases in either residents or workers. Of the state’s 1,224 facilities, 261 have been included on the CDPH list.

The majority of the affected nursing homes were in Los Angeles County, which has been a hub of infection in California. At least 148 nursing homes in the county have confirmed COVID-19 cases.

In Sacramento County, three facilities have reported at least one positive case among residents: Casa Coloma Health Care Center, Manorcare Health Services-Citrus Heights and Windsor El Camino Care Center.

Three others reported positive cases among employees: Eskaton Care Center Manzanita, Midtown Oaks Post-Acute and ACC Care Center.

There is also one facility in Placer county with cases: Rock Creek Care Center in Auburn reported to the state it had cases of infection among its staff, but no patients had been confirmed to have the coronavirus.

Precise numbers of cases in Sacramento and Placer counties were not given to the state. El Dorado County did not report any infections among its nursing homes Friday.

Coronavirus by the numbers

As the U.S. nears the peak, many other countries, including China, have already seen a significant tapering off of new coronavirus cases.

Worldwide, more than 2.2 million people have been infected with the virus, which has killed more than 150,000. About 580,000 patients have recovered, according to data provided by Johns Hopkins University.

The U.S. has seen the highest number of cases of any country thus far, with more than 700,000 confirmed cases. Spain has the next highest number, with over 190,000.

New York remains the American epicenter of the pandemic, with 235,000 patients in the state.

In a Saturday news conference in Santa Clara County, Gov. Gavin Newsom said that the total number of cases in the state had grown by about 5 percent to 28,963, while 3,221 patients were hospitalized for coronavirus across the state and 1,173 patients were being treated in intensive care units.

After receiving reports of 87 deaths overnight, the state’s death toll reached 1,072 Saturday, Newsom said.

On Saturday, Sacramento County health officials announced they have received 914 positive test results, while 33 deaths have been reported, up by one from Friday.

Placer County reported 131 cases, one more than its last report Thursday, and eight deaths. Yolo County reported 126 cases and eight deaths and El Dorado County reported 36 cases and no deaths, according to local health officials.

Placerville city council rebukes governor

Placerville City Council voted Tuesday to draft a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, arguing that the stay-at-home order should be lifted for the foothills town.

The action, first reported by the Mountain Democrat, was precipitated by low infection numbers and a struggling local economy.

Placerville Vice Mayor Dennis Thomas, who himself was infected with COVID-19 and said he was still recovering from mild symptoms, said that Newsom’s statewide stay-at-home orders have pinched small-business owners who are unable to plan ahead for the benefit of their families or employees.

“Right now, it’s just a big open question mark,” Thomas said during the council meeting, which was held virtually. “And I’m getting really frustrated at how these businesses are being disadvantaged.”

Thomas pointed to El Dorado County’s strikingly low infection rate compared with the rest of California as supporting evidence for reopening the city.

Only 11 of the county’s 36 cases were still active as of Friday afternoon. Health officials have reported only five coronavirus cases in the greater Placerville area.

“This community can open with a measured approach,” Thomas said. “I don’t think we should sit idle and our businesses should sit idle when it’s not necessary.”

Yolo County to begin stay-at-home enforcement

Yolo County law enforcement agencies are opening up the possibility of fining people who violate shelter-in-place directives.

In a news release signed off by all major agencies in Yolo County, the West Sacramento Police Department said multiple complaints of continued large gatherings and businesses operating despite the health orders have pushed police to consider enforcement.

“While we plan to continue using education as the first step in enforcing the health order, we must make it clear that egregious violations will be subject to enforcement,” the West Sacramento Police Department. “These temporary orders were implemented in order to protect the public from a surge of infections and to protect our most vulnerable individuals. We implore you to take these directives seriously, understand their purpose, and do your part in protecting the residents of Yolo County.”

Other law enforcement agencies, such as those in Sacramento County, have issued similar warnings to the community regarding enforcement.

Citing California penal code, West Sacramento police said although no citations have yet been issued, offending parties may be subject to a fine of $1,000 and a jail sentence of up to 6 months.

Police departments in Davis and Woodland issued similar statements Friday.

What is COVID-19? How is the coronavirus spread?

Coronavirus is spread through contact between people within 6 feet of each other, especially through coughing and sneezing that expels respiratory droplets that land in the mouths or noses of people nearby. The CDC says it’s possible to catch the disease COVID-19 by touching something that has the virus on it, and then touching your own face, “but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”

Symptoms of the virus that causes COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath, which may occur two days to two weeks after exposure. Most develop only mild symptoms, but some people develop more severe symptoms, including pneumonia, which can be fatal. The disease is especially dangerous to the elderly and others with weaker immune systems.

This story was originally published April 18, 2020 at 11:14 AM.