San Bernardino County Sees Biggest Daily Jump in Coronavirus Cases – San Bernardino Sun
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12/18/2020 San Bernardino County sees biggest daily jump in coronavirus cases – San Bernardino Sun LOCAL NEWS •• News San Bernardino County sees biggest daily jump in coronavirus cases Hospitalizations increase as ICU capacity is down to 0% in the region By DEEPA BHARATH || [email protected] andand NIKIE JOHNSON || [email protected] || OrangeOrange CountyCounty RegisterRegister PUBLISHED: December 17, 2020 at 3:17 p.m. || UPDATED:UPDATED: December 17, 2020 at 3:17 p.m. ThisThis criticalcritical coveragecoverage isis beingbeing providedprovided freefree toto allall readers. Support reporting like this with a subscription to The Sun. Special Offer: Just 99¢ for 3 months. Support local journalism San Bernardino County on Thursday, Dec. 17, saw the largest single-day case increaseincrease inin thethe numbernumber ofof new,new, dailydaily coronavirus cases.cases. The county reported 9,383 new COVID-19 cases, surpassing the Wednesday, Dec. 16, daily record of 5,550 cases. County health officials said the large jump inin casescases onon ThursdayThursday couldcould bebe attributedattributed toto aa significantsignificant backlogbacklog thatthat isis beingbeing cleared by the state. The cases reported Thursday could span several days, officials said. https://www.sbsun.com/2020/12/17/san-bernardino-county-sees-biggest-daily-jump-in-coronavirus-cases/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_me… 1/5 12/18/2020 San Bernardino County sees biggest daily jump in coronavirus cases – San Bernardino Sun The county reported 19 new deaths and is averaging about 16 fatalities per day inin thethe pastpast week.week. Hospitalizations also hit an all-time high with 1,458 COVID-19 patients in hospitals and 285 in intensive care units. The state reported today that ICU availability is down to 0% inin SouthernSouthern California.California. The number of people tested was up 22,004 from Wednesday. Also, 140,234 test results in the past one week is an all-time high for the county. Here are the latest numbers, according to county and state public health officials. San Bernardino County Confirmed cases: 144,455144,455 total,total, upup 9,3839,383 fromfrom Wednesday,Wednesday, averagingaveraging 4,1164,116 reported per day in the past week Deaths: 1,3231,323 total,total, upup 1919 fromfrom Wednesday,Wednesday, averagingaveraging 16.316.3 reportedreported perper dayday inin thethe pastpast weekweek Hospital survey: 1,4581,458 confirmedconfirmed andand 127127 suspectedsuspected patientspatients hospitalizedhospitalized Wednesday, including 285 confirmed and 12 suspected patients in the ICU, with 25 of 25 facilities reporting. The number of confirmed patients is up 33% from a week earlier. People tested: 1,405,9181,405,918 total,total, upup 22,00422,004 fromfrom Wednesday,Wednesday, averagingaveraging 20,03320,033 reported per day in the past week Resolved cases (estimate): 120,570120,570 total,total, upup 2,1992,199 fromfrom Wednesday,Wednesday, averagingaveraging 2,959 per day in the past week Metrics tracked by the state: ICU availability: 0.0% across Southern California New cases per day per 100,000 residents: 120.3 Case rate adjusted for testing volume: 60.3 Test positivity rate: 20.1% (24.3% in socioeconomically challenged neighborhoods) What that means: Southern California is under a stay-home order because of the low ICU availability. When that is lifted, San Bernardino County will return to a color-coded tier withwith restrictionsrestrictions basedbased onon thethe other metrics. https://www.sbsun.com/2020/12/17/san-bernardino-county-sees-biggest-daily-jump-in-coronavirus-cases/?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_me… 2/5 12/18/2020 San Bernardino County sues Newsom over COVID-19 stay-at-home orders NEWS San Bernardino County sues Newsom over COVID-19 stay-at-home orders Martin Estacio Victorville Daily Press Published 5:03 p.m. PT Dec. 17, 2020 Updated 9:22 a.m. PT Dec. 18, 2020 San Bernardino County is asking the state’s highest court to annul stay-at-home orders issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom in an effort to regain local control over response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a lawsuit filed with the California Supreme Court on Monday, the county argued that the governor exceeded the authority granted to him by the California Emergency Services Act. The county alleges that Newsom was “usurping the County’s statutory duties and substituting his judgment for that of the County and Legislature.” “The County seeks this instant writ to reclaim its police power over its residents and vast land mass, with incorporated and unincorporated areas, to enable it to tailor regulations and orders which are specific to its residents based on facts which are unique to their locations rather than subject its residents to overbroad multi-county, Governor-implemented, regionalized lockdowns,” county attorneys said in the filing. The lawsuit comes as most of the state is locked down after Newsom issued new stay-at- home orders for regions, or groups of counties, earlier this month where ICU capacity is below 15%. As of Thursday, the ICU capacity was 0% in the Southern California region, of which the county is part, according to the California Department of Public Health. The most recent state data shows that San Bernardino County has just 41 ICU beds available. Jesse Melgar, a spokesperson for Newsom, told the Daily Press the regional orders, based on capacity, were issued at “the most critical point that they have been since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.” https://www.vvdailypress.com/story/news/2020/12/17/san-bernardino-county-sues-newsom-over-covid-19-stay-home-orders/3949425001/?utm_camp… 1/3 12/18/2020 San Bernardino County sues Newsom over COVID-19 stay-at-home orders “The health and safety of Californians remains this Administration’s top priority,” he said. “The State will defend against this new suit as we have all others, staying laser focused on protecting Californians’ health and safety within the legal authorities available to us.” County officials have advocated to the state that due to San Bernardino County’s large geographic size and unique characteristics, such as expansive desert and mountain regions, certain areas should be allowed to operate under fewer restrictions. Last month when the Board of Supervisors directed pursuit of a lawsuit, staff told them that state officials had not responded to the proposed initiative. “Businesses in the low risk areas of the County should not be closed due to ICU capacities hundreds of miles away. The County should not be forced to allocate significant public health resources to enforce (Newsom's) Stay-At-Home laws in lower risk areas,” the petition stated. “It is unreasonable, irrational, and is not grounded in any reasonable public health justification.” Additionally, the county argued that using resources to enforce the governor’s orders could hamper “effectuating vaccinations in the new year.” The county received 15,600 initial doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday, which will first go to health care workers as part of a phased plan. On Nov. 17, the Board of Supervisors directed county staff to reach out to other local governments in an attempt to bring them on as additional parties. At the time of the filing, however, none had signed on to the lawsuit. County spokesperson David Wert said the governor's regional stay-at-home order — which went into effect in early December — "brought new urgency to this matter and the (Board) wanted to file the action without delay." In the lawsuit, the county is seeking relief from the court no later than Dec. 28 by ordering that state officials “cease and desist” from enforcing the stay-at-home directives. The county seems likely to face an uphill battle, though. In November, County Counsel Michelle Blakemore told the Board of Supervisors — when they first considered the legal action — that 47 lawsuits filed against Newsom had been dropped or dismissed and that “the state has made it clear that they are challenging” any action related to COVID-19. https://www.vvdailypress.com/story/news/2020/12/17/san-bernardino-county-sues-newsom-over-covid-19-stay-home-orders/3949425001/?utm_camp… 2/3 12/18/2020 San Bernardino County sues Newsom over COVID-19 stay-at-home orders The Murrieta-based law firm Tyler & Bursch is representing the county in the suit. The firm has sued the state over other coronavirus orders, including a ban on singing in churches, according to the Los Angeles Times. Just how much the lawsuit will cost is also unknown. Wert said the county does not disclose the costs of litigation until it is resolved. Daily Press reporter Martin Estacio may be reached at 760-955-5358 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @DP_mestacio. https://www.vvdailypress.com/story/news/2020/12/17/san-bernardino-county-sues-newsom-over-covid-19-stay-home-orders/3949425001/?utm_camp… 3/3 12/18/2020 COVID-19: Providence St. Mary caregivers receive vaccine HEALTHCARE COVID-19: Providence St. Mary caregivers among first in High Desert to receive vaccine Matthew Cabe Victorville Daily Press Published 3:07 p.m. PT Dec. 17, 2020 Updated 3:19 p.m. PT Dec. 17, 2020 About 100 Providence St. Mary Medical Center health care workers received the first round of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday, a day after an initial 15,600 doses arrived in San Bernardino County. Providence St. Mary spokesman Bryan Kawasaki said hospital officials in Apple Valley administered the vaccine to roughly 18 caregivers per hour Thursday morning. “The pace we were hoping for was 12 caregivers an hour,” Kawasaki said. “... We’re very excited for the turnout.” St. Mary nurse Theresa Tate was the first of the hospital’s staff members to receive the vaccine, according to Kawasaki. Tate has worked at St. Mary for eight years, currently in the Labor and Delivery Department.