MADERA — Madera County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) reported 19 more cases of COVID-19 on Friday, boosting the total number of cases countywide to 314. It was the worst week so far for new cases, with county officials confirming 115 new cases over the past seven days.
As of 4 p.m. Friday, there were 133 active cases and 177 recoveries. Eleven of the active cases are serious enough to require hospitalization, according to MCDPH, including one of Friday’s latest cases involving a man in his 40s.
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, 26 cases have now been confirmed in Reporting Area D — which includes the eastern Madera County foothills and mountain communities. That total includes an additional cases added over the past 24 hours.
With new cases continuing to surge in the Valley as well as in other parts of the state, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an order this week mandating Californians wear face coverings or masks in most public places — both indoors and outdoors.
“Our numbers are going up, not going down. Hospitalization numbers are just starting to creep back up, and I’m very concerned by what we’re seeing,” Newsom said. “We think the most impactful thing we can do, short of going back to a stay-at-home order, is wearing face coverings when we can’t practice physical distancing.”
MCDPH Director Sara Bosse agreed. “The upward trend [in new cases] represents an increase in testing along with individuals going out more and attending social gatherings with those outside of their household,” Bosse said earlier this week. “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 also reported that it is becoming increasingly difficult for county health officials to identify and isolate close contacts with confirmed virus victims — a key contact tracing tactic to now that had been successfully minimizing community spread in Madera County. Five of Friday’s new cases were contracted via community spread, according to MCDPH.
To check the latest MCDPH update, click here.
As of 4 p.m. Friday, there were 169,694 confirmed COVID-19 cases across California, with the total number of deaths statewide now at 5,407.
Nationwide, there have now been more than 2.26 million confirmed coronavirus cases, with the U.S. death toll on Friday passing 121,000.
