COVID-19 Update 2020-03-08

There are currently 110,066 of COVID-19 confirmed globally, with 3,830 deaths and 62,278 recoveries.

There are 25,408 confirmed cases outside of China as of March 7th, up from 8,555 cases on March 1st.

South Korea has 7,382 confirmed cases, Italy has 7,375 and Iran has 6,566.

Schools are closed in South Korea, Iran, Japan, France, Italy, Pakistan and China.

There are 88 new confirmed cases in the US so far today, bringing the total to 309.

There are 76 confirmed cases in the Bay Area, up from 44 on Friday.

The California Department of Health had tested 516 people as of March 5th. The department expects that capacity to have expanded to 7,400 people a day starting Friday.

By comparison, In South Korea, more than 66,650 people were tested within a week of its first case of community transmission, and it quickly became able to test 10,000 people a day. The first case of community transmission in California was on Feb 26th.

Monterey County Public Health Lab is set to receive test kits this week as the CDC issues new guidance to clarify that any clinician or health authority can administer the test.

Under pressure from concerned students and faculty, Stanford University has canceled winter semester classes.

A petition to close the campus is circulating at UC Berkeley.

The County of Santa Clara Public Health Department announced that people over 50 or in ill health should avoid any gathering of more than 150 people.

There is now one confirmed case in Santa Cruz. The individual was formerly aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship from San Francisco to Mexico February 11-21. The tested positive on March 6th.

There are no local shortages of food or toilet paper, though it is always a good idea to have an emergency supply.

You can find out more from the County of Santa Cruz Health Services Agency, by going to santacruzhealth.org.

If you experience Fever, Cough or Shortness of Breath, please call your Health Care Professional.

As is always true to prevent any communicable disease, stay home if you are sick, wash your hands frequently, cough or sneeze into your elbow, avoid touching your face, and remember, don’t pick your nose!!

– The COVID-19 Update from KSCO’s Director of Digital Media, Jonty McCollyer