MADERA — Madera County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) confirmed 20 additional cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, boosting the total number of cases countywide to 295. All of Thursday’s new cases are in home isolation, according to MCDPH. County health officials are now monitoring 124 active cases and reporting 167 recoveries.
Nine of the active cases are serious enough to require hospitalization, according to MCDPH. To date, there have been four COVID-19-related deaths in Madera County since the pandemic began in March.
According to MCDPH’s new data dashboard, 25 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Reporting Area D — which includes the eastern Madera County foothills and mountain communities. No new cases were reported in Area D over the past 24 hours.
With new cases continuing to surge in some parts of the state, on Thursday, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an order that Californians wear face coverings or masks in most public places.
In recent weeks, Madera County also has seen a spike in new cases, with the total number of cases countywide nearly tripling since early June. “The upward trend represents an increase in testing along with individuals going out more and attending social gatherings with those outside of their household,” said Sara Bosse, MCDPH director.
“It is imperative that individuals continue to social distance when they are out and avoid gathering with those who are not in their immediate household,” Bosse said, adding that it is becoming increasingly difficult for county health officials to identify and isolate close contacts with confirmed virus victims — a key tactic to now in successfully minimizing community spread in Madera County. Seven of Thursday’s new cases were contracted via community spread, according to MCDPH.
“Individuals are becoming more hesitant to providing information; however concealing information may put friends, family and co-workers at risk,” Bosse said earlier this week.
To check the latest MCDPH update, click here.
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, there were 165,383 confirmed COVID-19 cases across California, with the total number of deaths statewide now at 5,316.
Nationwide, there have now been more than 2.23 million confirmed coronavirus cases, with the U.S. death toll on Thursday at 120,000.
