SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Key facts in San Diego:
- There are 8,345 confirmed cases in San Diego County and 296 reported deaths.
- View San Diego County cases by zip code or city.
- San Diego County is following California's stay at home order.
- Most San Diego schools have moved to distance learning and students can still receive meals while schools are closed.
- Find testing sites in San Diego county
- Text COSD COVID19 to 468-311 to get updates from San Diego County.
- Click here for previous daily updates.
Key facts in California:
- California governor issued a statewide stay at home order on March 19.
- There are 119,807 confirmed cases in California and 4,422 deaths, according to the CA Department of Public Health.
- 3,109 Californians are hospitalized with confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 1,058 are in the ICU, according to the CA Department of Public Health.
- 2,182,671 tests have been conducted as of June 3, according to the CA.gov.
- A senior hotline has been set up to answer questions at 833-544-2374.
June 6
When are sports coming back? News 8 breaks it down
From the NFL to NBA to MLB, each sports league is on a different timeline for returning. We break down the different scenarios here.
June 5
San Diego County has single highest testing day with 5,936, also highest new positive cases.
San Diego County had its highest testing day ever with 5,936 tests reported overnight. This was also the highest single day for positive cases with 242. The percentage of positive cases to tests remained flat at 4%.
The overall data for deaths from COVID-19 is at 294, 6 new deaths reported since yesterday.
San Diegans encouraged to get tested for COVID-19 amid protests
Given that people without symptoms can transmit the novel coronavirus, San Diegans should get tested for COVID-19, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced Friday.
“Since we can’t be sure who is contagious, people should get tested even if they’re asymptomatic to make sure they’re not positive and infecting others,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer.
San Diego soccer team set to resume play in July
The Board of Governors of soccer's Division II USL Championship, which includes SD Loyal, voted Friday in favor of returning to play for the 2020 season, with a provisional start date set for July 11.
The league announced its return to play will be conducted in strict alignment with all local and state public health guidelines. League officials remain "in regular dialogue with the USL Players Association on all matters concerning player health and wellness protocols and looks forward to continuing those discussions."
June 4
Number of COVID-19 cases in San Diego County approaches 8,000
The number of COVID-19 cases in San Diego County approached 8,000 today as public health officials reported 142 new cases and five deaths.
A total of 3,714 tests were reported today, with around 4% of those testing positive for the respiratory illness. The county's rolling 14-day average of positive tests is 2.9% and has been trending slowly downward for several weeks.
Of those testing positive, 17.4%, or 1,383, have been hospitalized and 5%, or 395, have been admitted to an intensive care unit.
Of the five deaths reported Thursday, four were men and one was a woman. Their ages ranged from 38 to 91, and all but one had an underlying medical condition.
Rise in drug overdoses could be directly tied to COVID-19 unemployment
As COVID-19-related economic woes continue, doctors both nationally and locally expect to see a subsequent uptick in the number of drug overdose deaths, a report released Thursday by San Diego-based health nonprofit Institute for Public Strategies.
According to Dr. Roneet Lev, emergency physician at Scripps Mercy emergency department, and former chief medical officer at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the number of overdose cases she has treated in San Diego has increased.
San Diego Seals will not complete rest of season, look to next year
The National Lacrosse League and its local affiliate the San Diego Seals announced Thursday the league is focusing its attention and efforts on preparing for the next season and has decided not to complete the 2019-20 season due to ongoing concerns about COVID-19.
The decision Thursday follows the cancellation of the regular season, which was announced on April 6 after suspension of the regular season on March 12.
June 3
San Diego County at nearly 8,000 COVID-19 cases with 283 deaths
San Diego County officials announce 124 additional COVID-19 cases and seven additional reported deaths Wednesday bringing the totals to 7,798 and 283 respectively. The county also recorded a new daily-high COVID-19 tests with 4,940, just 3% of which returned positive.
The county's rolling average of positive tests has hit a plateau over the last several weeks, and other numbers are "trending in the right direction," according to Dr. Wilma Wooten, San Diego County's public health officer.
June 2
San Diego County Supervisors ask Gov. Newsom to allow more facilities to reopen
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on Tuesday to request that Gov. Gavin Newsom allow them to reopen facilities such as gymnasiums, hotels and cultural venues closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The supervisors' request also includes seeking more leeway to allow the reopening of wineries, breweries, churches, theme parks, youth sports facilities, charter and fishing boats and public swimming pools.
Scripps Health reopens last 3 San Diego clinics closed since March
Scripps Health announced Tuesday it has reopened the last of its outpatient clinics that were temporarily closed in March after state and county officials issued shelter-in-place orders in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Patients may once again visit Scripps Clinic Liberty Station, Scripps Clinic Coronado, and Scripps Clinic Bariatric and General Surgery in the Hillcrest neighborhood for the same range of medical services that were available at those sites prior to their closure, with the exception of radiology, laboratory and Scripps HealthExpress services at Scripps Clinic Liberty Station -- which have not yet been restored there.
What to expect if a contact tracer calls you
If you get a call from a number you don’t recognize, don’t automatically ignore it. The person on the other end could be calling from County Public Health Services to tell you you’ve been exposed to COVID-19.
The County has been scaling up its contact tracing efforts as some stay-at-home restrictions are eased and people are out more and heading back to work.
Contact tracing is done by local and state health departments when certain infectious diseases are reported. This is a classic method that public health has been using for decades.
Sitting and sunning now allowed at San Diego County Beaches
As a result of numbers trending in the right direction, San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairman Greg Cox said passive recreation, like sitting and sunbathing, will be allowed at county beaches beginning Tuesday.
However, County health officials are reminding residents they must maintain physical distancing or wear a face covering when close to others and must remain with members of their own household.
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View all News 8 coverage of coronavirus / COVID-19
News 8 has joined forces with The San Diego Foundation to raise immediate, emergency funds for our most vulnerable neighbors in need. Here is how you can help.
We also have a Frequently Asked Questions page we will continue updating with the latest information and reports.
Click here to watch "Facts Not Fear," a News 8 Special on coronavirus from March 26, 2020.
BACKGROUND
According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. Coronavirus is believed to have been first detected in a seafood market in Wuhan, China in December 2019. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Currently, there is no vaccine, however, the CDC suggests the following precautions, as with any other respiratory illness:
Know how it spreads
There is no vaccine
The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus
It is thought to spread mainly from person-person between people in close contact
And believed to be spread by respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes
Protect yourself
Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds
If soap and water aren't available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Put distance between yourselves and others
Protect others
Stay home when you are sick
Wear a facemask if you are sick
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
If you don't have tissue, cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow
Immediately wash your hands after coughing and sneezing
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe
You can find information on disinfecting and cleaning on the CDC's How to Protect Yourself page.
The California Department of Public Health has issued guidance on the use of cloth face coverings to protect against the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
The County of San Diego has made face coverings mandatory for those working with the public including grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, convenience stores, and similar businesses.
While officials say these face coverings are not a substitute for practices like social distancing and handwashing, there is evidence to suggest that the use of cloth face coverings by the public during a pandemic could help reduce disease transmission. Officials do not recommend the public use N-95 or surgical masks which are needed by health care workers and first responders.