California’s remote Modoc County has its first COVID-19 cases
A remote California county bordering Oregon and Nevada that was the first to defy state shutdown orders to prevent spread of the coronavirus has confirmed its first cases of COVID-19.
Rural Modoc County in northeastern California has two confirmed cases of COVID-19, both from the same household, the county Public Health Department statement said in a statement on Tuesday.
Officials were identifying people who may have had close contact with the individuals, who were isolating at home and have not been hospitalized, the department said, adding that people who patronized a local bar were being asked to call authorities.
“How lucky we have been to not see COVID-19 in our county until now, but it’s here and we could see the number of cases increase in the next few weeks,” said Stacy Sphar, Modoc County director of health services.
Sphar urged residents to “respect and follow” federal Centers for Disease Control’s guidelines for reducing transmission of COVID-19.
The county Sheriff’s Office used social media to ask people to use preventative measures that kept the county virus-free for months.
“Now is the time to come together to support not only our residents but also our public health officials,” the office said.
The county of about 9,000 residents on May 1 defied Gov. Gavin Newsom’s orders by reopening nonessential businesses and restaurants for dine-in service.
At the time, California had just surpassed 50,000 infections and 2,000 deaths, but that seemed a world away from Modoc, a drive of at least six hours from San Francisco into a region of forests, volcanic landscape features, farms and only one incorporated city, Alturas.
After six weeks of stayat- home directives and business closures, county officials allowed reopening after what they said was careful planning with limits on the number of patrons inside businesses and precautions such as physical distancing.