3 More Coronavirus Cases In Napa County; Schools To Remain Closed

NAPA COUNTY, CA — There are now six confirmed cases of coronavirus in Napa County. Two cases were confirmed Wednesday morning by Napa County Public Health, according to Molly Rattigan, the county's Deputy Executive Officer.

"Napa County Public Health Officials are conducting their investigation," Rattigan said Wednesday afternoon in an email. "The patients are residents of the City of Napa, and are in isolation. Public Health staff is actively working to identify close contacts."

Then, in an email Wednesday evening, Rattigan said Napa County has confirmed its sixth case of COVID-19.

"The patient is a resident of the city of American Canyon and is hospitalized in another county," Rattigan wrote just after 8 p.m. "Napa County Public Health officials are conducting their investigation and actively working to identify close contacts."

Four of the county's six cases are residents of the city of Napa; one is a city of St. Helena resident.

Napa County Schools Closed Through May 1

As the coronavirus crisis evolves in California, the Napa County Office of Education announced Wednesday that NCOE and the five school districts in Napa County —Napa Valley Unified School District, St. Helena Unified School District, Calistoga Joint Unified School District, Howell Mountain Elementary School District and Pope Valley Union Elementary School District — plan to continue remote learning through at least May 1.

"This guidance was based on consultation with the Napa County Public Health Officer," NCOE Spokesperson Seana Wagner said.

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NCOE and school district leaders will reassess in mid-April and determine a date to resume in-person classes. Should the governor’s statewide stay-at-home order be lifted before the end of April, school districts will be flexible and consider resuming classes earlier.

Only school district personnel performing essential functions are allowed on campuses; all other school staff are continuing to work remotely.

NCOE acknowledged and thanked all school personnel "who have rapidly adapted to the emergency," according to a news release.

"We understand how especially difficult campus closures are for families, but given the severity of the health crisis we must do everything we can to save lives," Napa County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Barbara Nemko said.

Resources for Napa County schools and families related to COVID-19 can be found at napacoe.org/ncoe-emergency-information.

In addition to the five cases in Napa County, here are the number of COVID-19 cases confirmed for other counties in the greater Bay Area region as of 9:30 a.m. Wednesday:

• Alameda County: 135 cases, 2 deaths (122 cases, 1 death at last check Tuesday)
• Contra Costa County: 86 cases, 1 death (71 cases, 1 death as of Tuesday)
• Marin County: 53 cases (47 on Tuesday)
• Monterey County: 24 cases, 1 death (20 cases, 1 death on Tuesday)
• San Francisco County: 178 cases, 1 death (152 on Tuesday)
• San Mateo County: 165 cases, 5 deaths (161 cases, 1 death as of Tuesday)
• Santa Clara County: 375 cases, 16 deaths (321 cases, 13 deaths as of Tuesday)
• Santa Cruz County: 24 cases (24 on Tuesday)
• Solano County: 24 cases (21 on Tuesday)
• Sonoma County: 37 cases, 1 death (27 cases, 1 death on Tuesday)
• Statewide: 2,102 cases, 40 deaths (1,733 cases, 27 deaths as of Tuesday)

Should any further information become available about the Napa County cases, Patch will update this story.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.