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First 2 positive cases of COVID-19 reported in Monterey County Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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MONTEREY COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THE TWO INDIVIDUALS LIKELY CONTRACTED THE VIRUS TRAVELING INTERNATIONALLY. AND IN RESPONSE TO NOT ONLY THESE NEW CASES, BUT TO WHAT NEIGHBORING COUNTIES ARE DOING. HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE CALLING ON RESIDENTS TO SHELTER IN PLACE. TIMOTHY FULLER, MARINA "IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME HONESTLY, SO IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A MEASURE LIKE THIS, AT LEAST WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING, BECAUSE IN TERMS OF FLOW FROM VIRUSES AND THEIR HOST BODIES, THIS IS GOING TO DO A WHOLE LOT TO CUT IT DOWN." AND THAT'S THE GOAL OF MONTEREY COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS. NOW ORDERING RESIDENTS TO "SHELTER IN PLACE" AFTER TWO PEOPLE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID 19. A FIRST FOR THE COUNTY. DR. EDWARD MORENO, HEALTH OFFICER FOR MONTEREY COUNTY "THE TWO CASES PLAY A PART; IT PROVIDES EVIDENCE THAT WE HAVE COVID 19 HERE IN MONTEREY COUNTY. BUT EVEN WITHOUT THE TWO CASES, JUST LOOKING AT THE COURSE OF EVENTS IN OUR NEIGHBORING COUNTIES" "IT APPEARED TO ME AND OTHERS THAT EVENTUALLY WE WOULD BE IN THE SAME PLACE UNLESS WE TOOK MORE SIGNIFICANT MEASURES." FOR THREE WEEKS, THE COUNTY IS ASKING RESIDENTS TO STAY HOME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. ONLY MAKING ESSENTIAL TRIPS. LIKE GOING TO WORK, GROCERY SHOPPING, OR TAKING A WALK. DR. EDWARD MORENO, HEALTH OFFICER FOR MONTEREY COUNTY "THE ORDER DOES RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S HEALTH BENEFITS TO GETTING OUTDOORS. SO, IF PEOPLE WANT TO WALK THEIR DOGS, THEY WANT TO JOG, THEY WANT TO GO HIKING, THEY CAN DO SO IN OPEN SPACE." SOME RESIDENTS ARE RACING AGAINST THE CLOCK TO GET THEIR SHOPPING DONE. HOLLY BRIGHT, SALINAS "WE STILL DON'T HAVE TOILET PAPER, SO WE'RE GOING TO GO HOME, HAVE DINNER AND THEN TREK BACK OUT AGAIN BEFORE WE GET THAT MIDNIGHT CURFEW TOMORROW. " TIMOTHY FULLER, MARINA "I WAS HANGING OUT WITH MY FOLKS EARLIER, SO WE'VE BEEN FINISHING UP SUPPLIES AND HANGING OUT BEFORE THE OFFICIAL STAY IN LOCKDOWN TAKES PLACE AT MIDNIGHT. BUT LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE FORBIDDEN TO EXIT OUR HOMES, IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVE TO DO IT CAREFULLY." WHILE OTHERS ARE JUST LOOKING FOR A QUICK BITE TO EAT. CRAIG AND CATHY FULLER, HOLLISTER "WELL YES AND NO.WE'RE TRYING FIND A PLACE FOR DINNER.I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO.. EVERYBODY'S CLOSED." AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A LOCKDOWN. PEOPLE CAN STILL LEAVE THEIR HOMES TO GET SOME FRESH AIR IF THEY NEED IT. THE SHELTER IS PLACE BEGINS TONIGHT AFTER MIDNIGHT AND CONTINUES THROUGH APRIL 8-TH.### TODAY ALSO DAY ONE OF A THREE-WEEK MANDATORY SHELTER IN PLACE FOR MORE