Four more coronavirus deaths in San Diego County as cases top 1,600

County officials on Thursday announced that four more San Diego County residents have died of COVID-19 as the regions case total climbed to 1,628.

To date, the county’s death toll stands at 40. Of the victims, 16 were white, 10 were Latino, two were Asian and one person was more than one race. Race was not available in 11 deaths.

Officials also reiterated changes to the region’s emergency health order, which expanded the list of employees who are required to wear face coverings. Affected workers now include those who work at banks, public transportation employees, including Lyft and Uber drivers, and daycare providers who serve food.

The order for these new groups goes into effect at midnight Monday.

Employees at restaurants, pharmacies, convenience stores, gas stations and grocery stores were already required to wear masks.

San Diego County logged an additional 98 coronavirus cases Thursday, the largest single-day increase in the last five days.

County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said the increase was “no more cause for alarm then the lower total from a couple of days ago is a cause for relief.” Officials have said often that daily totals are still a very inaccurate snapshot of actual cases totals.

Of the county’s 1,628 cases, about 53% of patients were ages 20 to 49. The county’s youngest patient was 3 months old, and the oldest was 100.

About 49% of patients are female, and about 51% are male.

About 21% of patients are hospitalized, and about 8% require intensive care.

County officials also reported an additional three outbreaks for a total of 28.

California

A gas station in San Diego County sells $2 medical-grade face masks for $10 each

A gas station in San Diego County was selling KN95 masks at a price five times higher than what online retailers were advertising.

April 9, 2020

Winkley writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.