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CALIFORNIA
3:20 p.m.
As of July 9, California has 304,297 confirmed cases of COVID-19, resulting in 6,851 deaths. The number of deaths increased by 2.1 percent from Wednesday’s report. There were 7,798 new confirmed cases reported on Thursday. The state’s positivity rate is 7.5%, a +2.2 change from two weeks ago. Over 5.1 million tests have been conducted in the state.
1:25 p.m.
The state is warning residents about scammers who are pretending to be COVID-19 contact tracers. Scammers are calling and texting people and asking for personal information, such as your social security number or bank account. Real contact tracers, who are responsible for alerting anyone who may have been exposed to the coronavirus, won’t ask you for money. Instead, they may call, email or text to collect health information, your name and address, and the names of places and people you have visited.
- Legitimate contact tracers won’t ask you for money
- Contact tracing doesn’t require financial information
- Real contact tracers will never ask for you social security number
- Your immigrant status doesn't matter for contact tracers
- Do not click on a link in a text of email to avoid downloading malware
- Contact your local health department to verifty the call or text is valid
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
12:50 p.m.
Santa Cruz County’s Great Plates Delivered program has been extended through August 9. This allows the county to continue delivering fresh meals to hundreds of older residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program utilizes five local restaurants and caterers. Great Plates Delivered is primarily funded by FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
10:55 a.m.
According to Santa Cruz County’s COVID-19 Data Dashboard, there’s been another sharp increase in cases -- 31 since the previous report on July 9. As of July 10, there are 537 total known cases, with 235 active ones. 52 residents have required hospitalization and 299 have recovered from the coronavirus. Fatalities remain at 3 residents. 20,564 negative test results have now been recorded in the county.
MONTEREY COUNTY
3:50 p.m.
On Friday, Monterey County Health Officer Dr. Edward Moreno said that face coverings are making a difference. He said the county’s COVID-19 case rate would probably be worse if people weren’t wearing them. He also reminded everyone to wash hands frequently and remember to maintain 6 feet of distance from people.
3:45 p.m.
Monterey County’s Environmental Health Bureau is visiting local restaurants to check whether they’re complying with COVID-19 regulations. The goal of these site visits is to get businesses to comply, not issue violations. But, if a business isn’t complying by the third visit, they’ll be issued a notice of violation and could have their permit suspended. The bureau regulates close to 2,000 food facilities, and roughly 8 to 10 have had compliance issues.
2:30 p.m.
For a second week in a row, Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System is seeing a record number of COVID-19 patients that need hospitalization. Their hospital in Salinas currently has 22 COVID-19 patients. Just last month, there were 9. In response, Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital has opened a second COVID-19 unit.
Additional surge plans will be rolled out as they are needed. SVMHS has expanded the hours of its free, bilingual hotline. It’s now open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11p.m. Registered nurses are available to answer any questions from the public.
1:10 p.m.
Carmel City Council voted this week to allow wine tasting rooms to move operations outside. This is in response to the state’s order that Monterey County must close indoor operations of wineries, restaurants, movie theaters and museums. The city is allowing outdoor tasting until the state’s new restrictions are lifted.
11:40 a.m.
The City of Salinas is now enforcing the use of face coverings throughout the city, with a fine of $100 for a first time violation. Multiple violations could result in fines up to $500 or $1,000. If you're exercising, you are not required to wear a mask.
The city announced the new emergency order this week. City Manager Ray Corpuz attributes the reason to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Salinas. The city has been the hardest hit in Monterey County. More than half of the county’s reported cases are in Salinas.
10:40 a.m.
The Monterey County Health Department announced Friday that another resident has died from COVID-19. According to the department, the resident was an adult with underlying health conditions. The total number of COVID-19 fatalities in Monterey County is now at 18.
Monterey County is reporting, as of July 10, 2,419 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The county says that’s an increase of 76 cases since their report on July 9. 165 people have required hospitalization for the coronavirus and 1,377 have recovered. 31,795 tests have been conducted in Monterey County.
10:15 a.m.
The City of Monterey is considering a 2% increase in its hotel tax. The idea will be presented to city council at its next meeting and a vote is expected on July 29. If approved, the measure will be on the November ballot for Monterey residents. City officials say the increase is necessary to make up for lost revenue due to the pandemic.
10:05 a.m.
The City of Monterey reports good compliance with its mandatory mask requirement. The order was issued a week ago and ratified by the city council on Tuesday. Compliance officers are used for enforcement. Anyone on the street or in public places like Cannery Row or Alvarado Street must wear a mask. Elsewhere in the city, people who are walking as exercise are not required to wear a mask.