The latest developments around the region related to the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, as of Friday afternoon include:
- City officials in Concord have announced a small business grant program aimed at helping locally operating business weather the coronavirus pandemic. The Small Business Grant Program will provide $5,000 grants through CARES Act funding for 130 local small businesses that have experienced a negative financial impact due to the pandemic, officials said. Applications for the program will open on Monday at 8 a.m. and will close on Aug. 21 at 5 p.m.
- The California Judicial Council voted Thursday for temporary bans on evictions and some foreclosures to end on Sept. 1 — a move that could result people being forced out of their homes. In April, the council adopted emergency rules temporarily prohibiting evictions and judicial foreclosure proceedings amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But council members say they still haven’t received clear policy proposals or solutions to deal with evictions and foreclosures as the pandemic continues. “The judicial branch cannot usurp the responsibility of the other two branches on a long-term basis to deal with the myriad impacts of the pandemic,” state Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye said on Tuesday. The council voted 10-1 on Thursday to rescind the emergency rules it adopted in April that Cantil-Sakauye extended in June.
- As of Friday at 5 p.m., officials have confirmed the following number of cases around the greater Bay Area region (“+” number added since last check Thurs., Aug. 13, unless otherwise noted):
- Alameda County: 14,558 cases (+329), 219 deaths (+3) (Totals include Berkeley Health Department data)
- Contra Costa County: 10,756 cases (+274), 152 deaths (+1)
- Marin County: 5,669 cases, 82 deaths (Totals include San Quentin State Prison)
- Monterey County: 5,890 cases (+87), 41 deaths (+1)
- Napa County: 1,206 cases (+36), 11 deaths
- San Francisco County: 8,053 cases (+109), 69 deaths (+2)
- San Mateo County: 6,803 cases (+163), 126 deaths (+4)
- Santa Clara County: 13,856 cases (+516), 208 deaths
- Santa Cruz County: 1,371 cases (+14), 6 deaths
- Solano County: 4,596 cases (+62), 41 deaths
- Sonoma County: 4,063 cases (+204), 51 deaths
- Statewide: 601,075 cases (+7,934), 10,996 deaths (+188)