Coronavirus: 50 Deaths Total, 185 Hospitalized In Santa Clara Co.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — Santa Clara County reported 3 new deaths on Friday from COVID-19, caused by coronavirus, according to the Santa Clara County Public Health Department. The county's death toll hit a milestone 50 with the newest fatalities.

There have been 1484 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 42 new cases reported on Friday.

There are currently 185 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at hospitals within the county. That sounds alarming, but the health department's statistics show that there are more than 700 hospital beds available, more than 100 ICU beds, and an astounding 500 ventilators available.

Here is a breakdown of cases by city:

• Campbell: 26
• Cupertino: 17
• Gilroy: 24
• Los Altos: 18
• Los Altos Hills: Less than 10
• Los Gatos: 21
• Milpitas: 43
• Monte Sereno: Less than 10
• Morgan Hill: 25
• Mountain View: 30
• Palo Alto: 57
• San Jose: 958
• Santa Clara: 54
• Saratoga: Less than 10
• Sunnyvale: 65
• Unincorporated: Less than 10
• Other/Unknown: 75

Meanwhile, Santa Clara County nurses are calling on the county to provide more paid leave for frontline healthcare workers who could be affected by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

"While almost everyone else is sheltering at home, nurses and other frontline healthcare responders are running to the fire, knowing their own lives are at risk," Debbie Chang, a county nurse and president of the local Registered Nurses Professional Association, said in a statement Friday.

"Is it too much to ask that when we get sick or are forced to quarantine from COVID-19, that County leaders have our backs - not just for 14 days, but for as long as it takes?" Chang asked.

The nurses association is asking the county to extend paid administrative leave up to 80 additional hours, on top of their two-weeks leave they currently have, to mirror similar policies implemented in San Francisco, according to a Friday news release which said the county is "failing" frontline healthcare workers.

"A once-in-a-generation crisis is no time to prioritize bottom lines over lifelines," Chang said.

The Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a referral asking for additional support for frontline healthcare workers during its Tuesday meeting. The item will return to the board at a later date unspecified in the board's referral. The county's Employee Services Agency could not immediately be reached for comment.

At midday on Friday, California has 20,300 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 552 deaths. The United States has 486,500 cases, and 18,000 deaths. Confirmed worldwide cases are 1.6 million, with 101,500 deaths.

— Patch editor Bea Karnes and Bay City News contributed to this story

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