Health & Fitness

California Coronavirus: What To Know Monday, August 17

Here's a roundup of all the coronavirus developments in California as of August 17.

CALIFORNIA — At a time when California students would typically be crowding campuses at the start of a new academic year, the state has seen a massive surge in positive COVID-19 cases among children under 17. In the last two weeks alone, the state added more than 12,000 new positive pediatric cases.

Data collected July 30 from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association revealed a 40% increase in positive cases, a spike that raised alarm nationwide.

In California, from May 1 to August 1, the positive reported cases among children jumped from 3% to 9%, according to Corey Egel, the California Department of Public Health's acting deputy director of public affairs.

Find out what's happening in Across Californiawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"It is possible that the change in the proportion of cases in children reflects changing testing patterns," Egel said.

Read the full story here.

Find out what's happening in Across Californiawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Newsom Points To Backlog For Steep Case Increase

CALIFORNIA — In his afternoon briefing Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom maintained that a recent steep increase in COVID-19 cases can be attributed to backlogged positive cases. He asserted that the state was finally "turning the corner" on the pandemic.

A total of 11,645 of positive cases were reported in Wednesday's report; however, according to Newsom, 6,212 were backlogged cases, making the actual number of positive cases for the day 5,433.

Newsom added that the backlogged case numbers would be "chewed up" over the next several days to provide an accurate and new state positivity rate. He also said that the amount of available ventilators and ICU beds had increased, an improvement from last week.

For much of the briefing, Newsom stressed the importance of accelerating bureaucratic and drawn out processes to approve funding for a menagerie of items that could help both employ and house Californians.

"We have a lot of projects that are ready to go that are permitted and can happen, all we need to do is move that money out there a little bit quicker," Newsom said.

According to Newsom, an excess of $400 million dollars was identified for the state to accelerate state funded infrastructure investment to create more jobs, noting that he will be working with legislators to move that funding.

Newsom also addressed Californians who were reluctant to leave unemployment benefits for a paying job, even one that may pay less.

"I think it was Voltaire that said 'work solves life's three great evils, boredom, vice and need,'" Newsom said.

- Kat Schuster contributed to this report

Newsom Challenges President's Plan To Continue $600 Unemployment Benefits

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday threw cold water on President Donald Trump's plan to force states to pitch in to provide a new round of unemployment benefits, saying the proposal was financially unworkable.

In his Monday afternoon briefing, Newsom said California would need to contribute at least $700 million per week in order to fund Trump's program, which was laid out in an executive order the president signed Sunday. The order would give Americans $400 in monthly unemployment benefits if states contributed a quarter of the cost.

But experts say the program is unlikely to wind up actually helping many unemployed Americans, since there are numerous strings attached — chief among them, the fact that states may lack the money to fund it.

"The state does not have an identified resource of $700 million per week that we haven’t already obliged," Newsom said Monday. "There is no money sitting in the piggy bank."


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There were more than 5,408,268 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States and 170,131 deaths as of Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University. At least 11,246 of those deaths were in California. The U.S. has the most confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths in the world.

Who has been diagnosed with coronavirus in California?

Total number of cases (Johns Hopkins University): 625,056 as of Monday

Total deaths reported (Johns Hopkins University): 11,246 as of Monday

Case breakdown by age, per the California Department of Health (totals may be outdated):

  • Age 0-17: 60,630 cases
  • Age 18-49: 374,400 cases
  • Age 50-64: 118,498 cases
  • Age 65 and older: 67,168 cases
  • Unknown/Missing: 866 cases

Gender of confirmed positive cases:

  • Female: 312,301 cases
  • Male: 302,532 cases
  • Unknown/Missing: 6,729 cases

The latest live updates from across California are as follows:

Sunday, 3:13 a.m.: San Diego Sees Decline In Positive COVID-19 Tests

The county reported fewer than 100 positive coronavirus tests per 100,000 people for four days in a row.

Saturday, 4:18 p.m.: 2,103 New Coronavirus Cases In LA County; 35 More Deaths

Los Angeles County has now confirmed 220,762 cases of COVID-19, while at least 5,245 people have died. Catch up on the latest news.


Saturday, 12:40 p.m.: Judge Rules In Favor Of Grace Community Church's Indoor Services

The Sun Valley church can hold indoor services if attendees wear masks and stay at least six feet apart, a judge has ruled.


Friday, 7:45 a.m.: Coronavirus-Linked Eviction Ban Lifted In California

The California Judicial Council voted to rescind the emergency rules it adopted to prevent coronavirus-related evictions.


Friday, 9:23 p.m.: South Bay Band Using Pickup Truck To Help Save Local Music Venue
XWire features several South Bay teens performing in Hermosa Beach Friday outside a venue threatened to close due to pandemic.


Thursday, 6:23 p.m.: 24 More Coronavirus Deaths Reported In Orange County

The county hovers at 7.6 percent testing positive for coronavirus, as of Thursday. Meanwhile, parents prepare to send kids back to school.


Thursday, 7:56 p.m.: Downtown Disney Offers New Kind Of Disney Experience For 2020
It's the new normal at Disneyland, and with Downtown Disney restaurants and stores offering a taste of normalcy, you'll be glad you went.


Thursday, 5:47 p.m.: Contra Costa County Coronavirus Death Toll Climbs
Hundreds of additional cases were added Thursday alone in Contra Costa County.


Thursday, 5:17 p.m.: Claim Ties Trump Resort To Peninsula Coronavirus Death: Report
Calixto Villanueva’s stepson is Nico Santos, an actor who appeared in the film “Crazy Rich Asians,” among other productions.


Thursday, 8:11 p.m.: CalFresh Recipients Receive Additional Emergency Benefits: RivCo

The latest emergency CalFresh benefits allotment is the fifth one announced during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Thursday, 7:48 p.m.: South Bay Woman Seen Coughing On Toddler Still Sought: Report
Allegations against former special-education teacher Nancy Nordland "fake news," her husband tells The Mercury News.


Thursday, 7:33 p.m.: Venice Family Clinic Begins Free Food Service In Culver City
Venice Family Clinic is expanding its free food service to Culver City during the pandemic.


Wednesday, 3:58 p.m.: Santa Clara County Mask Scofflaws To Face Stiff Fines: Report

Individuals could face fines up to $500 and businesses could see fines up to $5,000.


Wednesday, 5:26 p.m.: National University Approves Tuition Cuts Amid Coronavirus

The Board of Trustees approved a plan to reduce the cost of attendance through tuition cuts of up to 25 percent for full-time students.


Wednesday, 5:41 p.m.: Coffee Bean Locations Close In Santa Monica, Westside

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf closed several locations across Santa Monica and the Westside during the pandemic.


Tuesday, 1:43 p.m.: 7 New Coronavirus Deaths Reported In Contra Costa County

The number of newly confirmed cases: 359. A backlog of case information is being cleared causing a spike in numbers.


Tuesday, 11:51 a.m.: Santa Monica MUJI Stores Close Due To Pandemic

MUJI stores in Santa Monica close as the company files for bankruptcy in response to the coronavirus pandemic.


Tuesday, 11:27 a.m.: Napa County Supervisors Affirm Support For Public Health Officer

When parents criticized Dr. Karen Relucio over schools not reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic, supervisors came to her defense.


Tuesday, 11:16 a.m.: Venice Family Clinic Expanding Free Food Service During Pandemic

Venice Family Clinic will offer free food service during the pandemic at its Culver City location.


Tuesday, 8:26 a.m.: Data Glitch Confounds Coronavirus Totals In Orange County, State

Current totals in Orange County, amid corrections from the state. UC Irvine poses a new way to look at the spread of COVID-19 in SoCal.


Tuesday, 7:43 a.m.: South Bay Survey: What Redondo Beach Locals Say About Pandemic

The South Bay Survey results are in. Here's what people said about their coronavirus pandemic concerns.


Tuesday, 7:05 a.m.: Deadline 8 PM: Up To $3500 In Emergency Rent From Alameda County

The Emergency Rent Assistance Program is designed for people who've suffered a financial setback because of coronavirus closures.


Tuesday, 5:48 a.m.: 2 Library Branches Reopen With To-Go Service

Library patrons can request books, DVDs, audiobooks or any other item for front door pick up. They have been closed because of coronavirus.


Monday, 7:13 p.m.: Coronavirus Spikes Among Kids, But LA Has Reason For Hope

Cases among children are way up statewide, but Los Angeles officials see signs of hope in the data.


Monday, 4:47 p.m.: Months Until Students Can Return To San Diego Unified Schools

Officials announced they were making preparations to get children back in schools, but were looking at a timeline of "months, not weeks."


Monday, 4:35 p.m.: Mountain West, Aztecs Postpone Sports Seasons Due To Coronavirus

The Mountain West Conference announced it was postponing its fall sports season indefinitely in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.


Monday, 4:29 p.m.: South Bay’s Smash Mouth Headlines Potential ‘Superspreader’ Event

Frontman Steve Harwell: "We’re all here together tonight! F**k that COVID s**t!."


Monday, 4:12 p.m.: 5 New Coronavirus Outbreaks Reported In San Diego County

The outbreaks were reported in a restaurant, a restaurant/bar setting, a government office, a business and a grocery store, officials said.


Monday, 3:18 p.m.: Tensions Erupt As Newbury Park Church Holds Indoor Services

A scuffle between protesters erupted Sunday outside the Godspeak Cavalry Chapel, which has stayed open despite a temporary restraining order


Monday, 3:09 p.m.: Grace Community Church Retains Lawyers After Cease-And-Desist

Pastor John MacArthur called last Sunday's service a "peaceful protest."


Monday, 1:58 p.m.: San Quentin Inmate Dies Of Apparent Coronavirus Complications

Condemned killer Pedro Arias, 58, had been on death row since 1990.


Monday, 1:34 p.m.: First San Quentin State Prison Employee Dies From Coronavirus

A prison guard has become the first employee at San Quentin to die amid a COVID-19 outbreak at the facility, officials said.


Monday, 12:15 p.m.: Fremont, East Bay Realtors Raise Money For Food Bank

They raised nearly enough for $50,000 worth of food purchased for the Alameda County Food Bank. Demand has soared since coronavirus closures.


Monday, 11:45 a.m.: Bay Area Discovery Museum Reopens After Coronavirus Closure

The Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito opened Saturday for the first time in the nearly five months since the COVID-19 lockdown.


Monday, 10:33 a.m.: California Colleges, Universities: Coronavirus State Guidance

In-person lectures cannot resume in a county on the state "Watch List" — which is currently frozen because of irregularities.


Monday, 10 a.m.: East Bay Company Providing Food Boxes To Alameda County Food Bank

The company shifted from making school lunches to helping feed the growing number of struggling families.


Monday, 8:47 a.m.: Marina Del Rey Parking Lot Party Packed With People

In a video posted by TMZ, a large group of people party in a Marina del Rey parking lot. Many of them aren't wearing masks.


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