San Diego County Reaches 100 Deaths, 2,643 Coronavirus Cases

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA — San Diego County reported their largest one-day jump in coronavirus cases yet Thursday with 152 new cases confirmed, and three new deaths due to the disease. Before Thursday the largest single-day increase in cases was on April 2, which saw 146 cases reported. The new numbers bring the county to 2,643 total cases and 100 deaths since the outbreak began. The county has now tested over 38,000 residents, meaning about 6.7 percent of tests come back positive.

Officials say the three latest deaths all involved patients in their mid 60s to late 70s, and each patient had underlying health conditions. Since the beginning of the outbreak doctors have warned that age and related respiratory issues are major risk factors for the coronavirus.

Though the last 72-hour period marked a significant increase in confirmed deaths in San Diego County, experts say it may not necessarily mean that coronavirus is spreading rapidly in the area: rather they say it is very likely the county is simply receiving data in waves. Health officials note that doctors have up to eight days to file death certificates, and many of the coronavirus-related deaths first reported by the county on Wednesday had actually taken place over a four-day period stretching from Friday, April 17 to Monday, April 20.

As a result, despite the 28 recently reported deaths, the county remains optimistic that the shelter-in-place order and social distancing practices are slowing the number of coronavirus transmissions, and they are encouraging residents to keep up the good behavior.

It remains unclear when the shelter-in-place order could be lifted.

Though the growth of the coronavirus has stalled in many counties across California, health leaders say it still will be some time before the shelter-in-place order is lifted.

Thursday the governor issued a modified version of the statewide shelter-in-place order, which has no set end date.

The governor has set six rough guidelines the state will be watching to see when the shelter-in-place order could be lifted. They say in order to lift the order, California will need the ability to:

• Monitor and protect communities through extensive testing and contact tracing
• Prevent infections in high-risk communities
• Bolster the hospital and health system to withstand surges of infections
• Develop therapeutics to meet the demand for medical supplies
• Keep social distancing up in schools, businesses and child care facilities
• Determine when to re-institute a stay-at-home order if it becomes necessary again.

Read more: California Coronavirus: Latest Updates On Cases, Orders, Closures

300,000 in San Diego County have lost their jobs because of the virus

A new report has found that the South Bay and central San Diego are some of the hardest hit areas for unemployment amid the coronavirus outbreak.

According to the study by the San Diego Association of Governments' between 22 and 27 percent of workers in the South Bay and Central San Diego lost their jobs or were unemployed by April 11.

The average across San Diego County was not much better, hovering around 20.6 percent unemployment.

Read more: Coronavirus Leaves 300,000 San Diego County Residents Jobless

202-bed facility installed at Palomar Medical Center Escondido

In mid-March San Diego County requested the federal government loan the county a medical station. Shortly after, the federal government approved the request and on Thursday a 202-bed facility was installed in two formerly vacant floors of the Palomar Medical Center Escondido.

The facility works as a fully-functioning hospital, with a pharmacy, nursing supplies and more. It can also be used for quarantine operations or as a place to store the dead short term in case of emergency.

Though the Federal Medical Station is all set up and ready to receive patients, the county says people will only be transferred there if there is a surge of new coronavirus cases that strain other medical centers across the county.

Read more: Coronavirus: 202-Bed Facility Installed At Palomar Medical Center

"Flybys" planned for a dozen San Diego County hospitals Friday

More than two dozen planes will take to the skies over San Diego County Friday to celebrate health care workers who have been battling to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Local pilots flying all sorts of aircraft from Cessnas to World War II military planes will take to the skies over 12 different hospitals across the county in a show of support. Organizers say planes will fly in formation carrying banners and will make smoke patterns and some will even perform stunts.

The flights will all take place between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Read more: "Flybys" Planned For Several San Diego-Area Hospitals Friday

City News Service and Patch Staffer Charles Woodman contributed to this report