COVID-19 Update 2020-03-17

There are currently 194,584 of COVID-19 confirmed globally, up from 142,783 last Friday, with 7,894 deaths and 81,080 recoveries.

Global confirmed cases outside of China topped 100,000 on March 15th with close to 110,000 total cases reported so far today. Outside of China, the number of cases ruffly doubled over the last 4 days, with 53,763 total cases reported March 12th. There were 8,555 confirmed cases outside China on March 1st.

Iran reported +1,178 new confirmed cases today bringing their total to 16,169. Tehran’s Sharif University of Technology, is warning that, if people cooperate now, Iran will only see 120,000 infections and 12,000 deaths before the outbreak is over, but if their people fail to cooperate, 3.5 million people will die.

Italy reports +3,526 new cases today, bringing their total to 31,506.

Italy continues a dramatic nation wide “lockdown”, barring their 60 million citizens from all all public events, including school, entertainment and worship.

Spain continues similar measures, forcing people to stay indoors, with exemptions only for so-called exceptional circumstances. Spain reports 11,409 total cases today, up from 525 on March 7th.

The EU is preparing to shut down borders with non-EU states. Germany and France, imposed new restrictions aimed at increasing social distancing.

The disease is truly global at this point, with 140 countries having confirmed cases out of 195 countries in the world.

According to the WHO, China has largely controlled the spread of the virus, with just +21 new cases reported so far today.

There are +1,040 new confirmed cases in the US so far today, bringing the total to 5,703.

The US had +106 new cases on March 8th and +461 new cases on March 12th.

Total US cases more than doubled in the past 4 days again, while Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan have all controlled their local disease spread to a manageable rate.

The US Government is scrambling to pass a massive Coronavirus related relief. The House passed a $850 billion dollar bill, aimed, among other provisions, at providing paid sick leave to 159 million Americans. The bill is now in the Senate.

If anyone wants to know how serious the situation is, Republican’s and Democrats are actually working together.

Santa Cruz joined most of the Bay Area issuing a Shelter In Place order effective at 12:01 AM this morning and continuing until Tuesday, April 7, 2020. “The Health Officer’s order defines essential services and activities to include exceptions necessary to limit negative public health impact. They include law and safety operations, essential government services, health care operations, pharmacies, child care facilities, food production including farming, food businesses including groceries and other food retailers, telecommunications, restaurants operating at reduced capacity, shelter including hotels, social services, establishments and agencies serving economically disadvantaged populations, gas stations, banks, laundry businesses and safety and sanitation businesses.”

All public Santa Cruz County schools remain closed.

There are 395 confirmed cases in the Bay Area today, up from 210 last Friday.

The total cases confirmed in Santa Cruz county is 9.

Many local department stores had unusually busy days over the weekend. Several stores limited the number of certain items per customer to prevent hoarding.

There is no reason to expect food shortages. During the worst of China’s lockdown, family members were allowed to purchase food or food was delivered.

Montage Health in Monterey is offering free eVisits for locals who think they may have COVID-19.

Visit the Coronavirus Daily Update Page on KSCO.com for more info.

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.

Regardless of how healthy you are, to protect the most vulnerable, don’t be a disease vector. Take action by staying home as much as possible.

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