The latest developments around the region related to the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, as of Thursday evening include:
- The National Park Service said Thursday that it will reopen Alcatraz Island for recreational use following new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local public health officials. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which controls the island, will restore ferry operations to Alcatraz, access to interior sections of the island like Building 64 and the warden’s house and outdoor areas like Eagle Plaza and the recreation yard.
- It’s out with the new and in with the old in the city of Santa Clara, which is welcoming back its drive-thru service window at City Hall after a 30-year hiatus. The drive-thru window will provide contactless service for certain bill payments on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Oakland Unified School District and its teachers’ union announced Wednesday that they have reached a tentative agreement about how distance learning will work in Oakland, where schools opened on Monday for the 2020-2021 academic year. The agreement would cover more than 2,000 teachers, nurses, counselors and others represented by the Oakland Education Association. The two sides said that, in an overnight bargaining session that culminated a month of talks, they settled on terms that offer teachers flexibility and ensure students have live interaction with teachers and other OEA members.
- As of Thursday at 6 p.m., officials have confirmed the following number of cases around the greater Bay Area (“+” number added since last check Wed., Aug. 12, unless otherwise noted):
- Alameda County: 14,229 cases (+130), 216 deaths (+4) (Totals include Berkeley Health Department data)
- Contra Costa County: 10,482 cases (+379), 151 deaths (+2)
- Marin County: 5,669 cases (198), 82 deaths (+1) (Totals include San Quentin State Prison)
- Monterey County: 5,803 cases (+175), 40 deaths (+1)
- Napa County: 1,170 cases (+28), 11 deaths
- San Francisco County: 7,944 cases (+110), 67 deaths
- San Mateo County: 6,640 cases (+105), 122 deaths
- Santa Clara County: 13,340 cases (+281), 208 deaths (+1)
- Santa Cruz County: 1,357 cases (+41), 6 deaths
- Solano County: 4,534 cases (+120), 41 deaths
- Sonoma County: 3,859 cases (+34), 51 deaths
- Statewide: 593,141 cases (+7,085), 10,808 deaths (+160)