The latest developments around the region related to the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, as of Wednesday afternoon include:
- One person in Santa Clara County died of COVID-19 more than a month earlier than officials initially thought the first death occurred, the officials said Tuesday. The individual, who died Feb. 6, and two others, who died Feb. 17 and March 6, respectively, all died before what was thought to be the first death on March 9.
- Kaiser Permanente is rushing to build a 7,700-square-foot state-of-the-art lab by June 1 that will be able to conduct 10,000 new coronavirus tests a day and help the state ease its shelter-in-place orders. Test results from the $14 million lab on Second Street in North Berkeley will be available in well under 24 hours.
- All essential employees in San Francisco now have access to COVID-19 coronavirus testing, as well as any resident who is experiencing symptoms and can’t otherwise get tested, Mayor London Breed announced Wednesday. The expanded testing has begun at the city’s two CityTestSF sites for all residents and essential workers, regardless of their insurance status.
- BART starting Wednesday is enforcing the requirements from Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco and San Mateo counties that any riders entering the system must wear face masks to help limit the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
- As of Wednesday at 2 p.m., officials have confirmed the following number of cases in the greater Bay Area region (“+” number added since last check Tue., Apr. 21):
- Alameda County: 1,282 cases (+41), 45 deaths (+2)
- Contra Costa County: 763 cases (+14), 22 deaths
- Marin County: 200 cases (+1), 10 deaths
- Monterey County: 150 cases (+2), 4 deaths
- Napa County: 57 cases (+3), 2 deaths
- San Francisco County: 1,233 cases (+2), 21 deaths (+1)
- San Mateo County: 958 cases (+23), 39 deaths (+11)
- Santa Clara County: 1,962 cases (+16), 94 deaths (+6)
- Santa Cruz County: 111 cases (+3), 2 deaths
- Solano County: 181 cases (+1), 3 deaths (+2)
- Sonoma County: 192 cases (+10), 2 deaths
- Statewide: 35,396 cases (+2,135), 1,354 deaths (+86)