The number of active coronavirus cases in Fresno County increased to 427 on Monday, a jump of 25 from Saturday.
Also, the Fresno County Department of Public Health announced another COVID-19-related death, bringing the total number of fatalities up to 9.
Dr. Rais Vohra, the county’s interim health officer, said that the individual who passed away was an 89-year-old man who was a longtime nursing home resident.
This is the second-straight fatality from a nursing home resident. The first seven deaths in the county were not nursing home residents but were all elderly, Vohra said.
There were only three people hospitalized from Saturday to Monday, the county reported. The total number of positive cases increased by 39 over the two-day period to 672.
On Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state will begin the process of moving into Phase 2 of his plan to reopen California, which starts with reopening certain low-risk retail stores.
Newsom also announced that each individual county will be able to submit a plan to the state about moving through Phase 2 at a faster pace than the state outlines.
Vohra was optimistic about Fresno County starting Phase 2, saying that the county should be fine as long as it follows the public health guidelines and precautions.
“I think that if everyone proceeds safely and that we keep open the lines of communication so that everyone understands what safe practices are, that indeed we will be able to reopen safely,” Vohra said. “I’m optimistic that we can get it done. We really have to pay attention to one another and to what the safe guidance that’s coming from our state partners looks like in order to make that happen.”
The state’s high throughput testing site at Fresno City College is opening this week. People can schedule a test online at LHI.care/testing, and results should be available within 48 hours.
Fresno County is receiving a second high throughput testing site from the state. Vohra said the county plans to announce its location on Wednesday.
