Updates: Newsom to order all beaches and state parks to be closed as of May 1, report says

Thousands of beach-goers enjoy a warm, sunny day at the beach amid state-mandated stay-at-home and social distancing mandate to stave off the coronavirus pandemic in Newport Beach, CA, on April 25, 2020. Thousands of beach-goers enjoy a warm, sunny day at the beach amid state-mandated stay-at-home and social distancing mandate to stave off the coronavirus pandemic in Newport Beach, CA, on April 25, 2020. Photo: Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times Via Getty Imag Photo: Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times Via Getty Imag Image 1 of / 54 Caption Close Updates: Newsom to order all beaches and state parks to be closed as of May 1, report says 1 / 54 Back to Gallery

LATEST, April 29, 8:58 p.m. California Gov. Gavin Newsom will order all beaches and state parks to be closed, according to a report from Fox 11.

According to Bill Melugin of Fox 11, Newsom will send bulletins to all police chiefs throughout the state notifying them of the closures, which will be in effect as of Friday, May 1.

Newsom reportedly will make the move in response to crowds seen at beaches in Southern California this past weekend despite a statewide order to shelter in place.

BREAKING: A source has provided me with this bulletin that will be sent out to all California police chiefs notifying them that tomorrow, Governor Newsom will announce the closure of ALL beaches and state parks effective May 1st in response to recent beach crowds in OC . @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/RG53HhmySf — Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) April 30, 2020

April 29, 7:45 p.m. A worker at the Amazon distribution center in Tracy has died of COVID-19, a company spokesperson said.



“We are saddened by the loss of an associate at our site in Tracy, California. His family and loved ones are in our thoughts, and we are supporting his fellow colleagues in the days ahead,” Lisa Levandowski, an Amazon spokesperson, told KCBS Sacramento.

The unidentified employee last worked at the Tracy facility on April 1, but showed no symptoms of coronavirus.

April 29, 4:20 p.m. Bay Area counties announced new coronavirus cases on Wednesday; as other counties report the latest numbers, the list below will be updated throughout the day.

— Solano County reported five new cases, bringing the total to 254. The county also announced a new death, bringing the death toll to five.

— Napa County reported one new case of the coronavirus, bringing the total to 67. The death toll remains at two.

— San Mateo County reported five new deaths and 37 new cases. The total number of cases is now 1,136 and the death toll is 48.

— San Francisco County reported 22 new cases, bringing the total to 1,490. The death toll remained at 23.

— Alameda County reported two new deaths and 35 new cases. The total number of cases is now 1,568, and the death toll is 57.

— Contra Costa County reported 22 new cases, bringing the total to 862. The death toll remained at 25.

— Santa Clara County reported one new death and 15 new cases. The total number of cases is 2,134 and the death toll is 107.

April 29, 2:45 p.m. San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott announced Wednesday that city officers will be more strictly enforcing social-distancing protocols in the city going forward.

"We have to go to [a] more aggressive nature on making sure we get compliance on social distancing and wearing face coverings," he said. "We're going to be out and about moving forward, as we have been, but were going to step it up a notch."

To date, the SFPD has issued 19 citations — 10 to businesses and nine to individuals — for not complying with shelter-in-place orders. Additionally, 86 formal admonishments have been handed down. Fifty-two have been given to businesses and 34 to individuals.

Scott also noted that while citywide there's been a decrease in crime, he has noted specific concerning events, such as a shooting where "over 100 rounds" were fired in the southeastern part of the city.

Additionally, as he stated, there's been a concerning pattern of violent robberies targeting elderly residents.

"Four elderly victims were robbed at gunpoint over the past 11 days," Scott said, noting the victims ages ranged from 69 to 85. "This is simply unacceptable. In some cases, violence was used — they were thrown the floor."

April 29, 2:30 p.m. On Wednesday, Mayor London Breed (and later Human Services Agency executive director Trent Rhorer) outlined a new plan to open 29 recreational vehicles and 91 trailers at the Seawall Lot (also called the backlands) at Pier 94 in Hunters Point and the Bayview.

"This site will provide a safe place for people who are homeless in the southeast part of the city," Breed said. "I want to be clear that these RVs will serve the Bayview/Hunters Point community."

Rhorer later added that this alternative housing will prioritize placing those aged 60 or older or those who have underlying health conditions. The site can accept guests as early as next week.

This housing is in addition to the hotel rooms the city has acquired to house homeless city residents. As Rhorer explained, San Francisco currently has 2,741 rooms under contract at 19 hotels; more than 950 homeless residents have been moved into those rooms already. The city is also currently in talks with 14 more hotels. Those new contracts — all in various stages of negotiation — would represent a total of 2,153 more rooms.

Breed also spoke to a new issue emerging as city officials work to direct homeless individuals to these hotel rooms: There have been instances when non-San Francisco homeless individuals have attempted to seek hotel rooms in the city.

"No one from other cities should come to San Francisco expecting to get priority over the people who are here," Breed said. "We have enough challenges with trying to provide services and support to existing residences, and we are most likely not going to be able to serve everyone, as hard as we try."

April 29, 2:15 p.m. San Francisco Mayor London Breed clarified aspects of the recently modified shelter-in-place order in San Francisco on Wednesday, outlining which outdoor activities San Franciscans can participate in again and which businesses may resume operations.

Locals may again take part in expanded recreational activities, like hiking, fishing and golfing. Flea markets, car washes and gardening services may all also reopen, and, notably, construction across the city can resume, as long as construction sites follow strict social-distancing protocols.

Asked why restaurants with outdoor seating were not included in the list of businesses allowed to reopen, SFDPH Director of Disease Prevention and Control Dr. Susan S. Philip (standing in for Director of Public Health Dr. Grant Colfax) said it's because of two main reasons.

First, the transaction process in restaurants is different in that it's "very difficult to maintain distance for the server, for the employee."

Second, outdoor dining necessitates that people will need to remove face coverings to eat.

"That combination of risks to the workforce, and the risk potentially to other patrons was the reason restaurants were not allowed under the new order," she said.

April 29, 1:15 p.m. California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new program Wednesday that will supply the state’s food banks with produce, poultry, dairy and more from local farms and ranchers. The goal of the initiative is to get food to the state’s most needy residents while helping keep farm workers employed.

“Our farmers are experiencing a 50% reduction in demand,” Newsom said. “They have excess commodities they can not distribute. We have food banks that have seen an average 70% spike in demand. We want to address that mismatch. We want to address that supply and demand.”

Newsom said food will be purchased from 128 farmers for 41 food banks across the state. The state has raised $3.6 million from philanthropic organizations to jump start the program and Kat Taylor, Chairman of the Board of Beneficial State Bank and wife of former presidential candidate Tom Steyer, has pledged to raise $15 million for the program.

Newsom also shared the federal government has given the state a waiver to allow participants of Calfresh, the state's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, to buy food online through Amazon and Walmart. He hopes to expand the program to more online retailers.

In addition, families and children who qualify for free or reduced lunches in public school are now eligible for an additional $365 a month through a new federal Pandemic ENT program.

Newsom reported 78 deaths due to COVID-19 complications in the last 24 hours. That’s up from 54 deaths Tuesday, and 45 Monday. Today’s number is still below last week's record one-day high of 115. Hospitalizations are up 1.2% in the last 24 hours and patients in intensive care units are up 0.4%. He noted while the number of hospitalized patients has flattened, “we want to see that curve decrease.”

April 29, 1 p.m. Bay Area counties announced new coronavirus cases on Wednesday; as other counties report the latest numbers, the list below will be updated throughout the day.

— Solano County reported five new cases, bringing the total to 254. The county also announced a new death, bringing the death toll to five.

— Napa County reported one new case of the coronavirus, bringing the total to 67. The death toll remains at two.

— San Mateo County reported five new deaths and 37 new cases. The total number of cases is now 1,136 and the death toll is 48.

— San Francisco County reported 22 new cases, bringing the total to 1,490. The death toll remained at 23.

— Alameda County reported two new deaths and 35 new cases. The total number of cases is now 1,568, and the death toll is 57.

— Contra Costa County reported 22 new cases, bringing the total to 862. The death toll remained at 25.

— Santa Clara County reported one new death and 15 new cases. The total number of cases is 2,134 and the death toll is 107.

LATEST, April 29, 11:45 a.m. A number of outdoor activities can resume in the Bay Area on May 4.

In a revised stay-at-home order, health officials for six counties announced that construction, landscaping and "other businesses that primarily provide outdoor services" can return. In addition, some recreational activities such as golf and tennis can also return.

Read more here.

April 29, 8 a.m. Nearly 1,800 people were tested for COVID-19 in the small California coastal town of Bolinas in a major, privately funded UCSF study.

The study results have been compiled and not a single person tested positive, according to a report from the Marin Independent Journal.

“It’s a relief,” Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County’s chief public health officer, told the Marin IJ.

Bolinas is a secluded community in West Marin with a population of 1,620 and anyone who works or lives there was given the opportunity for free, voluntary testing. The tests were also available for any West Marin first responders. Researchers conducted two types of tests at a drive-up from April 20–24 to identify those individuals who are currently infected and those who previously had the virus. The diagnostic tests for active COVID-19 were implemented by collecting samples with nasal swabs while the antibody test was done with a finger-prick to collect a blood sample.

UCSF has yet to make a formal announcement about the study results or explain likely theories as to why no one tested positive. Willis told the IJ the positive outcome is likely in part due to the county's early action in implementing a shelter-in-place order.

Two Bolinas homeowners funded the $400,000 study. The effort was "inspired by actions of the Italian town of Vo – where community leaders were able to bring the epidemic under control locally through two rounds of comprehensive testing," according to a statement from UCSF.

Marin County reported its first COVID-19 case on March 9. Since then, 226 residents have tested positive and 12 people have died.

Cumulative cases in the greater Bay Area (due to limited testing these numbers reflect only a small portion of likely cases):

ALAMEDA COUNTY: 1,568 confirmed cases, 57 deaths

For more information on Alameda County cases, visit the public health department website.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY: 862 confirmed cases, 25 deaths

For more information on Contra Costa County cases, visit the public health department website.

LAKE COUNTY: 6 confirmed cases

For information on Lake County and coronavirus, visit the public health department website.

MARIN COUNTY: 226 confirmed cases, 12 deaths

Fore more information on Marin County cases, visit the public health department website.

MONTEREY COUNTY: 191 confirmed cases, 5 deaths

For more information on Monterey County cases, visit the public health department website.

NAPA COUNTY: 67 cases, 2 deaths

For more information on Napa County cases, visit the public health department website.

SAN BENITO COUNTY: 50 confirmed cases, 3 deaths

For more information on San Benito County cases, visit the public health department website.

SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY: 1,490 confirmed cases, 23 deaths

For more information on San Francisco County cases, visit the public health department website.

SAN MATEO COUNTY: 1,136 confirmed cases, 43 deaths

For more information on San Mateo County cases, visit the public health department website.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY: 2,134 confirmed cases, 107 deaths

Fore more information on Santa Clara County cases, visit the public health department website.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY: 127 confirmed cases, 2 deaths

For more information on Santa Cruz County cases, visit the public health department website.

SOLANO COUNTY: 254 confirmed cases, 5 deaths

For more information on Solano County cases, visit the public health department website.

SONOMA COUNTY: 228 confirmed cases, 2 deaths

For more information on Sonoma County cases, visit the public health department website.

In California, 1,723 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported, according to Johns Hopkins University. For comparison, New York has 22,269, New Jersey 5,938 and Illinois 1,933.

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