The latest developments around the region related to the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, as of Wednesday afternoon include:
- Santa Clara County officials advised business owners Wednesday to seek legal counsel rather than appeal to the county for help on what to do if customers are not respecting local and state public health guidelines to reduce the risk of spreading the novel coronavirus. As businesses reopen in the county amid the pandemic, residents are required to follow the state’s face covering mandate when indoors or in close proximity to someone who does not live in their household. State and local public health officials also continue to advise people to maintain at least 6 feet of distance from others and stay home when feeling sick. County spokesman Todd Naffziger said a business attorney would be better fit than the county to help a business owner determine how they should react and whether they can legally refuse service to a customer who refuses to wear a mask or follow other health and safety rules.
- State indicators of the novel coronavirus’s spread have trended down as the state’s average daily test positivity rate has fallen below 4.5 percent in the last seven days, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday. Cases have been trending south since mid-July, when the state issued a temporary shutdown of indoor operations for businesses like bars, movie theaters and restaurants. Since hovering around 7.5 percent at that time, the state’s test positivity rate has also steadily declined. While the seven-day positivity average sits at 4.4 percent, the state’s 14-day average daily positivity rate now sits at 5.1 percent.
- As of Wednesday at 4 p.m., officials have confirmed the following number of cases around the greater Bay Area:
- Alameda County: 18,695 cases, 257 deaths (18,445 cases, 257 deaths on Tuesday) (Totals include Berkeley Health Department data)
- Contra Costa County: 14,111 cases, 183 deaths (14,035 cases, 179 deaths on Tuesday)
- Marin County: 6,205 cases, 96 deaths (6,164 cases, 96 deaths on Tuesday) (Totals include San Quentin State Prison)
- Monterey County: 8,149 cases, 58 deaths (8,068 cases, 58 deaths on Tuesday)
- Napa County: 1,452 cases, 13 deaths (1,444 cases, 13 deaths on Tuesday)
- San Francisco County: 9,617 cases, 84 deaths (9,544 cases, 83 deaths on Tuesday)
- San Mateo County: 8,311 cases, 132 deaths (8,260 cases, 132 deaths on Tuesday)
- Santa Clara County: 17,802 cases, 250 deaths (17,465 cases, 248 deaths on Tuesday)
- Santa Cruz County: 1,878 cases, 7 deaths (1,755 cases, 7 deaths on Tuesday)
- Solano County: 5,588 cases, 47 deaths (5,547 cases, 47 deaths on Tuesday)
- Sonoma County: 5,917 cases, 83 deaths (5,800 cases, 80 deaths on Tuesday)
- Statewide: 712,052 cases, 13,163 deaths (707,797 cases, 13,018 deaths on Tuesday)