Governor says California getting grip on virus
Newsom: Restrictions have slowed spread
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California appears to be getting a grip on a resurgence of the coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday, though he warned the state is a long way from reopening some of the businesses it shuttered for a second time last month because of rising infections and hospitalizations.
The average weekly number of positive tests is down by a fifth, to 7,764 from its peak of nearly 9,900 a week ago. The seven-day rate of tests coming back positive statewide had peaked at nearly 8 percent late last month but has fallen to 6.1 percent, he said, though the rate remains much higher in some hard-hit counties.
“It’s not where it needs to be, it is still too high, but again it is good to see this number trending down, not trending up,” he said.
Hospitalizations, which had recently ballooned by 50 percent, have also fallen over the last 14 days, Newsom said in his most upbeat briefing since the resurgence. The number of people in intensive care units because of coronavirus has also declined slightly.
The Democratic governor credited the new restrictions that have locked down most indoor commercial activities in 38 of California’s 58 counties, as well as enforcement actions and increased compliance with his endlessly repeated cautions to maintain social distancing, wear face coverings and use proper hygiene.
The improvements are “encouraging signs, but one week does not make the kind of trend that gives us confidence to try to generate headlines,” Newsom said. “We’ll need to see another few weeks of this kind of data to come in to feel more confident about where we are as a state.”
Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer similarly said the county has seen trends stabilize in virus cases and hospitalizations.
“We’re cautiously optimistic that we’re getting back on track to slowing the spread of COVID-19,” she said.
Ferrer said the county is reporting an average of roughly 2,500 to 2,700 new cases a day, a number that is “still really high but it does show progress.”
She, too, credited renewed restrictions while warning residents that they must continue precautions to avoid a resurgence.
“Simply put, closing the bars worked,” she said. “We must put off the parties, the gatherings and the trips to crowded places.”
Riverside County officials on Monday warned that a lag in the California Department of Public Health’s electronic disease reporting system was giving a false impression that cases in their county southeast of
Los Angeles were slowing down.
And some counties are still bracing for a surge.
In other developments:
The White House announced Monday that random coronavirus testing of its staff is becoming mandatory. The White House said the measure was “part of our ongoing efforts to protect the health and safety” of the White House Complex.
Gyms and fitness facilities in Washington state will need to nearly triple the minimum distance required for patrons exercising indoors, except for those practicing certain team sports. New COVID-19 guidance issued late Monday by
Gov. Jay Inslee increases the requirement of 6 feet of distance between patrons to 300 square feet — about 17 feet.
Officials for Georgia’s largest public school district say more than 250 employees have reported testing positive for the coronavirus or being exposed to it about a week before the school year is set to begin. The Atlanta Journal-constitution reports that Gwinnett County Public Schools teachers began in-person planning Wednesday at facilities.
The Mall of America says the Nickelodeon Universe amusement park inside the mall will reopen
Aug. 10 after being closed nearly five months due to COVID-19.
Louisiana has released coronavirus safety guidelines for movie and TV productions as filming is expected to start returning to the virus outbreak hot spot this month. Louisiana’s economic development department issued the rules Monday.