One of the two patients in San Joaquin County that was killed last week by the COVID-19 virus was a Manteca resident.

According to a number of officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the female patient that was treated by three local firefighters who responded to a call – and were subsequently placed on quarantine because of their exposure – later died at an area hospital.

The San Joaquin County Department of Public Health Services has repeatedly failed to return a call for comment.

The announcement last week that the virus has claimed two lives in San Joaquin County – both of whom were elderly, and only one of which came as a result of direct travel – raised the level of awareness of the severity of the emergency situation as the number of cases continues to increase as testing becomes more available.

But the issue of exposure faced by first responders continues to be a matter of concern for local officials who are pushing San Joaquin County to release more information about the location of the cases to both the first responders and the public rather than generalizing them as being diagnosed in the county.

The impact of losing first responders at a time that they’re desperately needed is something that Manteca City Councilman Gary Singh is hoping that the public does not have to experience.

“Here’s how this can escalate – we have three potential cases where firefighters are quarantined for 14 days,” Singh said. “We don’t have that many extra police officers and firefighters to be putting them all out on quarantined leave because they don’t know who they’re coming into contact with. What is it going to do to our city if half of our police force and firefighters end up being quarantined?

“It’s going to get really scary, really quick and that is my worry – all I care about are the safety of our responders and the public that they come into contact with.”

Singh said that he’s been advocating for the San Joaquin County Department of Public Health Services to announce where each of the cases of COVID-19 are being diagnosed within the county so that people can see that the virus is active within their own communities – hopefully, he said, something that prompts more people to take shelter-in-place orders seriously.

California currently has over 2,065 cases of COVID-19 within the state, and 40 deaths related to the virus – just under 10 percent of all of the deaths in the United States at this point.

Limited testing capabilities early on in the process resulted in a number of cased going undiagnosed, but as tests become more available, the numbers are expected to rise.

According to a Manteca Fire Department official Public Information Officer Lantz Rey, none of the firefighters that were quarantined have shown any symptoms and all three are being tested today to see whether they are carriers of the virus.

Rey said that while communication between the county and first responders was initially strained, it has since advanced to a point where those responding to calls are armed with a little bit more information.

“Initially we had difficultly, but we now feel comfortable with the information that we are getting,” Rey said. “It’s an ongoing process where we are working to ensure the protection of our citizens, first responders, and everyone else.”

One official that spoke to The Bulletin on Monday said that the issue that first responders are facing is the fact that coming into contact with those infected with COVID-19 assures that those individuals will be placed into quarantine.

“I can get more gloves and personal protective equipment,” the official said. “But I can’t just go out and get more firefighters.”

While medical professionals, emergency workers, and government teams work to get a handle on the rapidly spreading virus, Singh encourages all Manteca residents to stay in their homes as much as possible – noting that he saw hundreds of people out at Woodward Park over the weekend, participating in activities that defy social distancing guidelines.

The city is not discouraging people from using parks but in doing so they need to maintain six foot spacing.

“We want this to be over as soon as possible,” Singh said. “If you don’t have to go out, please don’t – we don’t want to prolong this any more than we have to.”

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.