The latest developments around the region related to the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, as of Wednesday afternoon include:
*Bay Area residents continue to shelter in place to limit gatherings and travel while reported cases continue to rise, including 175 in Santa Clara County where six people have died.
*Officials warn that blood banks and donation centers could face a critical blood shortage as a result of precautions taken to stop the spread of the virus.
*BART officials have called for emergency local, state and federal funding support as the transit agency hemorrhages money and ridership.
*Oakland Unified School District officials are distributing food to thousands of students as part of the district’s “grab and go” free meal program to help families cope with large-scale school closures.
*The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development authorized the Federal Housing Administration to implement a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures for certain single-family homeowners who may not be earning income during the coronavirus outbreak.
*San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Santa Clara County officials and a group of Silicon Valley business leaders announced a pandemic response program that is intended to distribute food, mobilize volunteers and provide monetary support to vulnerable residents.
As of Wednesday at 3:30 p.m., officials have confirmed the following number of cases in the greater Bay Area region:
Alameda County: 31 cases (18 at last check Tuesday)
Contra Costa County: 41 cases (34 on Tuesday)
Marin County: 11 cases (11 on Tuesday)
Monterey County: 0 cases (0 on Tuesday)
Napa County: 0 cases (0 on Tuesday)
San Francisco County: 51 cases (40 on Tuesday)
San Mateo County: 80 cases, 1 death (64 cases, 1 death on Tuesday)
Santa Clara County: 175 cases, 6 deaths (138 cases, 4 deaths on Tuesday) Santa Cruz County: 13 cases (9 on Tuesday)
Solano County: 8 cases (8 on Tuesday)
Sonoma County: 8 cases (8 on Tuesday)
Statewide: 598 cases, 13 deaths (392 cases, 6 deaths on Tuesday)