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San Diego County reports 126 new COVID-19 cases

Among those testing positive, 1,519 cases have required hospitalization and 426 had to be admitted to an intensive care unit.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — San Diego County health officials Sunday reported 126 new COVID-19 cases and no new deaths, bringing the county total number of cases to 9,440 with the death toll remaining at 319.

Of the 6,751 tests reported to the county, 2% were positive new cases. The 14-day rolling average percentage of positive tests is 2.9%.

Among those testing positive, 1,519 cases have required hospitalization and 426 had to be admitted to an intensive care unit.

Across the state, there are now 148,855 COVID-19 cases and there have been 5,063 deaths, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Meanwhile, a fund in San Diego to provide loans and grants to minority-owned businesses that need help recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic was announced Sunday. The Central San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce is seeking to raise $1 million in the next 60 days to fuel the fund.

Meanwhile, the rapid pace of restoring San Diego County's economy continues.

Bars, zoos, community swimming pools, movie theaters and hotels all were allowed to reopen Friday. Guidance from the state late Thursday night allowed County Supervisor Greg Cox to announce nail salons, tattoo shops, massage therapists, and personal care businesses -- such as waxing services -- will be allowed to open June 19.

Sanitizing and facial coverings at these businesses will be especially important due to the physical proximity of the work, Cox said, offering a word of caution as more businesses open their doors: "We can't let reopenings lead to a surge in cases that will ruin everything we have done in the last several months."

The county also announced the launch of a new interactive website, which will allow residents to find COVID-19 testing locations near them at 211sandiego.org.

Even with a lack of a significant spike, early signs of a possible resurgence are showing, said Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county's public health officer. She said the county has recorded five community outbreaks of the illness in the past week. Past community outbreaks have included church meetings, parties and a wedding.

"We had only about three community outbreaks in the month of May," Wooten said.

One newly reported outbreak originated from a restaurant. The outbreak remains under investigation, and Wooten said she could not immediately share additional information.

One of the county's 13 "triggers," which could cause the county to take industry-specific actions, pause all reopening efforts, or even dial back reopenings, would be having seven recorded community outbreaks within a week. The county remains "green" on all 13 triggers.

Cox said movie theaters that reopened Friday follow similar occupancy rules to churches, with a maximum of 25% of the room's capacity or 100 customers, or whichever is lowest, and typical sanitizing and facial coverings required while in line.

However, not every business able to open Friday necessarily did, Cox said, referencing the San Diego Zoo's announced June 20 reopening date. The USS Midway Museum announced Thursday it would hold off on reopening until July 1.

"The dangers of COVID-19 are as real today as they were in March," Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said Wednesday.

He cited ballooning hospitalization rates in Orange and Ventura counties and a continued crisis in Los Angeles County in saying that while San Diego County has avoided the worst of the pandemic so far, caution must be exercised to avoid a second wave.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency-funded Great Plates program, which partners with local restaurants to deliver food to seniors during the pandemic, had been scheduled to end Wednesday, but was extended through July 1. More than 1,400 people have received meals from 31 restaurants under the program.

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