NBC Bay Area launched a blog at the height of the coronavirus pandemic to provide updates on COVID-19. Here's an archive of the updates from our coverage in March.
Tuesday, March 31
Thanks to an NBC Bay Area viewer, the San Francisco Fire Department was able to obtain thermometers for its crews. Investigative Reporter Jaxon Van Derbeken has the story here.
Looking for more of these type of stories? Check out our Something Good section.
And an unfortunate transition here to other headlines. Santa Rosa police say a detective has died from COVID-19.
Chief Rainer Navarro identified the detective as Marylou Armer, who served in the department for 20 years. Updates on this story here.
Napa County Public Health reports the county's first death of a resident due to COVID-19. The death occurred on March 31. Officials say the adult patient was being treated at a hospital.
Meanwhile, the death toll due to coronavirus climbed to 30 in Santa Clara County and five in Marin County.
Several announcements were also made, starting by health officers in seven Bay Area jurisdictions as well as Berkeley extending stay-at-home orders through May 3.
This decision was made in efforts to reduce the impact on local hospitals from COVID-19. You can read more about that here.
In addition, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new initiative to help older residents stay connected during stay-at-home orders during the pandemic. This initiative includes a hotline to deliver services and help the elderly residents of the state.
Gov. Newsom also said that over 25,000 licensed Californians submitted applications to the California Health Corps he announced Monday.
Want to see some drone footage? We decided to fly a drone over some recognizable Bay Area locations to see what they look like amid the stay-at-home order. Check out the footage here. For a sample, watch the video below.
NBC Bay Area Senior Investigative Reporter Stephen Stock's latest story examines why Santa Clara deputies are blasting the COVID-19 response at county jails. Check it out here.
Two San Jose grocery stores have announced one of their employees tested positive for COVID-19.
A worker at a Cardenas market tested positive and is now in quarantine. Other workers who were in direct contact with the individual have been sent home for 14 days.
Safeway also confirmed a worker tested positive. They said the store will undergo deep cleaning and disinfection "with guidance from third-party sanitation experts."
Here’s a look at the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Bay Area. (Note: these numbers are expected to change throughout the day as counties release more information.)
- Santa Clara County: 848
- San Francisco: 397
- Alameda County: 313 (including Berkeley, which is counting separately from the county)
- San Mateo County: 309
- Contra Costa County: 212
- Marin County: 107
- Sonoma County: 85
- Santa Cruz County: 49
- Solano County: 43
- Napa County: 14
- Mendocino County: 4
Monday, March 30
Santa Clara County continues to be the Bay Area county with the most confirmed cases and deaths. Authorities said some of the new numbers are a result of a reporting delay. Three additional deaths were reported, as well.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom held a press conference where he announced The California Health Corps in efforts to help hospitals becoming overwhelmed with patients.
"If you're a nursing school student, a medical school student, we need you," he said.
You can read more about this new initiative here.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed joined health and city officials to provide an update on the city’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Watch the entire press conference below.
Several well-known artists have been impacted by the coronavirus in recent days. Country singer Joe Diffie, who had a string of hits in the 1990s like "Pickup Man," died at the age of 61 after testing positive for the virus. Alan Merrill — who co-wrote the song “I Love Rock and Roll" that became a signature hit for fellow rocker Joan Jett — died Sunday at the age of 69 from complications with the virus, and "Angel from Montgomery" singer-songwriter John Prine is in critical condition after testing positive.
There are now more than 2,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the Bay Area's nine counties. Here's a look at the latest cases, by county:
- Santa Clara County: 848, 28 deaths
- San Francisco: 374, 6 deaths
- San Mateo County: 309, 6 deaths
- Alameda County: 283 (including Berkeley, which is counting separately from the county), 7 deaths
- Contra Costa County: 187, 3 deaths
- Marin County: 98, 4 death
- Sonoma County: 73, 1 death
- Santa Cruz County: 45, 1 death
- Solano County: 43
- Napa County: 14
- Mendocino County: 4
Sunday, March 29
Officials in Santa Clara County are prepping the fairgrounds to become a temporary homeless shelter to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. Details available here.
Now, for something good: Residents around the Bay Area are finding ways to stay connected while practicing social distancing. One Mill Valley community literally howls together in the evenings, and a group of second graders put together a parade for their teacher. Check it out.
Sources confirmed Sunday that all nine Bay Area counties will extend the stay at home orders until May 1. Read the full story here.
President Donald Trump announced during a press conference that social distancing guidelines will be extended until April 30.
He had initially set a 15-day period of social distancing, but he decided to extend it after Dr. Anthony Fauci said the U.S. could experience more than 100,000 deaths and millions of infections from the pandemic. Read more about the recent decision right here.
As for California, state authorities had to take more extreme measures due to people still congregating at public spaces.
California State Parks announced that it is closing vehicle access to all 280 state parks due to the coronavirus outbreak, after many state parks experienced surges of visitors on Saturday. Here are the new orders.
On Sunday morning, public health officials confirmed the first coronavirus death in Santa Cruz County. The individual was a man in his 70s with underlying health conditions. His symptoms included fever and shortness of breath.
"We are deeply saddened to have one of our community members die due to this outbreak," Santa Cruz County Health officials said. "Our top priority is protecting the lives of our community members, and we are working hard to make sure these solemn occasions are as rare as possible."
San Francisco reported 32 new confirmed cases and one death due to the novel coronavirus. The total amount of cases is now at 340 and five deaths.
Santa Clara County Helping Hands is looking for volunteers to bring meals and prescriptions to local seniors and people who are immunocompromised during shelter in place. All volunteers and people seeking help through the Helping Hands initiative are required to practice strict social distancing and cleanliness standards to protect against the spread of the coronavirus. More info available here.
Here’s a look at the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Bay Area. (Note: these numbers are expected to change throughout the day as counties release more information.)
- Santa Clara County: 646
- San Francisco: 340
- San Mateo County: 277
- Alameda County: 240 (including Berkeley, which is counting separately from the county)
- Contra Costa County: 168
- Marin County: 69
- Sonoma County: 58
- Santa Cruz County: 44
- Solano County: 34
- Napa County: 10
- Mendocino County: 3
Saturday, March 28
Bay Area counties are tightening restrictions to enforce social distancing and curb panic buying. San Francisco Mayor London Breed enacted a new closing time for corner stores that goes into effect Sunday, and a San Mateo County supervisor is looking at capping the number of items shoppers can buy. Details here.
The Bay Area is on board and on top of helping tackle issues during the coronavirus outbreak. Today, Gov. Gavin Newsom and San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo were in Sunnyvale visiting the Bloom Energy ventilator refurbishing site. Read the full story here.
You can look at some of the highlights of the visit on Gov. Newsom and Mayor Liccardo's Twitter accounts below:
Yes, ventilators are on its way to California hospital to assist staff and help relief the surge of virus cases. However, an even major surge is expected in the state. Here's a closer look at that prediction.
Also, the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit reviewed projections released by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Here's all that data explained.
It has been more than a week since Gov. Newsom issued a stay-at-home order for California residents. But lawmakers still worry people will continue to flock state parks and beaches. More on that here.
At San Francisco's Laguna Honda Hospital, seven staffers and one patient tested postive for COVID-19. The facility is under protective quarantine until at least April 7.
San Francisco Police Department is warning people about potential scammers. The Department received info about individuals going door to door claiming to be CDC employees. You can read more about those visits and how you can spot the scam here.
In Hayward, the free novel coronavirus testing is now being limited to people with a fever over 100 degrees and other symptoms like cough and shortness of breath. The city said 54 of the 207 people who were tested on Monday tested positive for COVID-19. It hasn't released the results of tests done later this week.
Despite authorities asking people not to panic shop and hoard food and other items during the outbreak, local government continues to enforce that message. Today, San Mateo County Supervisor David J. Canepa will address the issue at a press conference. You can watch that live here on our live blog at 11 a.m.
Since shelter at home orders were enacted in California and around the nation, demand for grocery delivery services has skyrocketed. Some 15,000 employees with San Francisco-based Instacart are planning to protest Monday, arguing that they deserve hazard pay and personal protective equipment such as gloves and masks while working during the coronavirus pandemic. Full story available here.
The Fremont City Council approved a moratorium on evictions and other emergency resolutions in a special meeting Friday. The moratorium applies to "all residential rental units and small-scale commercial tenants where the failure to pay rent is due to loss resulting from the declared COVID-19 public health crisis," the city said in an announcement. More details available here.
Here’s a look at the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Bay Area. (Note: these numbers are expected to change throughout the day as counties release more information.)
- Santa Clara County: 574
- San Francisco: 308
- San Mateo County: 274
- Alameda County: 220 (including Berkeley, which is counting separately from the county)
- Contra Costa County: 151
- Marin County: 69
- Sonoma County: 54
- Santa Cruz County: 34
- Solano County: 34
- Napa County: 9
- Mendocino County: 2
Friday, March 27
Let's start off with something good:
Check out these Peninsula teens who are helping out and shopping for the elderly.
San Jose State University reported its second case of COVID-19. The campus employee is off campus, recovering at home. The individual was in the Diaz Compean Student Union the week of March 23.
Napa County confirmed its ninth case of COVID-19. Officials said the person is in St. Helena hospital and has a direct relationship with a previously confirmed case.
San Francisco's Laguna Honda Hospital said as of Friday night it has eight people who have tested positive for COVID-19: five nurses, two housekeepers, and one patient. The hospital is in the process of testing 175 people.
And here's an East Bay couple who is keeping the music alive during the shelter-at-home order.
Now onto the other headlines.
Two point two TRILLION dollars. Yes, trillion with a T. President Trump signed a $2.2T rescue package for the virus-ravaged economy and health system.
So just how much money could you be getting from the coronavirus stimulus? Calculate it here.
Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom has banned all evictions of renters for the next two months amid the spreading coronavirus pandemic. Read up on the executive order here.
Our Lili Tan show why some tenants in the Bay Area wanted more from the California's order to halt evictions during the pandemic. Watch here.
Senior Investigative Reporter Stephen Stock shows how Bay Area labs are ready to search for a COVID-19 cure, but face one huge hurdle: getting federal funding.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed joined city and health officials and provided updates on the city’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Authorities reinforced the order for residents to stay at home and maintain social distancing when going out for essential needs. SFPD's chief also said officers will be out this weekend to prevent large gatherings.
Watch the press conference YouTube video below.
If you are an addict struggling with sobriety how do you reach out for help in the face of today's virus environment of "social distancing" and "stay in place" isolation? Read what health experts and recovering addicts have to say.
And there's an expected surge of COVID-19 patients coming soon. To help, officials are transforming the Santa Clara Convention Center into a makeshift hospital.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday mentioned an effort to "fast track" nearly 12,000 fourth-year nursing students' certifications so that they may help in the fight against the coronavirus. NBC Bay Area's Investigative Unit takes a look at what needs to happen.
Contra Costa County reported it's second COVID-19-related death along with 4 additional cases, bring it's total number of confirmed cases to 151.
Sonoma County reported four new cases, bringing the total to 54.
Marin County reported three new cases for a countywide total of 68.
Santa Clara County reported its 20th coronavirus-related death, San Francisco reported its third death and San Mateo County reported its sixth death.
Marin County reported its first coronavirus-related death, bringing the Bay Area's COVID-19 death toll to 36.
Santa Rosa Police Department announced two more employees test positive for COVID-19. The department now has a total of five employees with coronavirus.
Here’s a look at the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Bay Area. (Note: these numbers are expected to change throughout the day as counties release more information.)
- Santa Clara County: 574
- San Francisco: 279
- San Mateo County: 239
- Alameda County: 220 (including Berkeley, which is counting separately from the county)
- Contra Costa County: 147
- Marin County: 65
- Sonoma County: 50
- Santa Cruz County: 34
- Solano County: 34
- Napa County: 7
- Mendocino County: 2
All San Mateo County parks will be closed starting 6 p.m. Friday to slow the spread of coronavirus. Details here.
Thursday, March 26
Sonoma, Solano and Marin counties have announced new coronavirus cases. Sonoma County has reported a total of 49 cases, Solano County has reported a total of 34 cases and Marin County has reported a total of 65 confirmed cases. Click here to check out a full list of cases in the Bay Area and surrounding counties.
The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office now has a sixth confirmed case of COVID-19. Officials say the deputy was assigned to the Custody Bureau and was one of the three deputies who were previously identified as potential exposures during the Sheriff's Office contact tracing.
School districts in Sonoma County will continue distance learning through May 1. Details here.
Santa Clara County announced 83 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the county’s total to 542. They also announced 2 new deaths, bringing the total to 19.
Warriors star Steph Curry held an Instagram Live with White House health advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci to discuss the coronavirus pandemic. Details here.
Life in the Bay Area has certainly changed since the novel coronavirus started spreading in the region. Take a look at these photos showing empty freeways, boarded up businesses and deserted tourist locations.
Life During Pandemic: Roads Empty, Tourist Spots Deserted, Schools Closed
A first responder with the San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department has tested positive for COVID-19. Officials say the infected employee is recovering at home and has not been hospitalized.
A nurse at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin had a presumptive positive test for COVID-19. This is the first case of suspected coronavirus at the jail and an investigation is underway to identify staff, Sheriff's Office personnel and inmates who may have been exposed.
VTA officials announced that all VTA light rail service will shut down effective immediately after an operator trainee tested positive for COVID-19.
Some good news to share when it comes to battling the nationwide shortage of N95 masks. Union says it has located 39 million N95 masks that will be made available to healthcare workers and local governments. Details here.
Alameda County reported its third and fourth coronavirus-related deaths. San Francisco reported its second coronavirus-related death.
Here’s a look at the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Bay Area. (Note: these numbers are expected to change throughout the day as counties release more information.)
- Santa Clara County: 459
- San Francisco: 223
- San Mateo County: 195
- Alameda County: 178 (including Berkeley, which is counting separately from the county)
- Contra Costa County: 131
- Marin County: 60
- Sonoma County: 44
- Santa Cruz County: 32
- Solano County: 31
- Napa County: 7
- Mendocino County: 2
What do you do when you have a mild ailment during the coronavirus pandemic? Do you go to the clinic or stay home? Checkout this video by NBC Bay Area's Joe Rosato Jr. to see how doctors are changing their routine patient care.
Wednesday, March 25
Twelve employees with San Francisco's Public Works Bureau of Urban Forestry have been sent home to remain in quarantine after a temporary employee tested positive for coronavirus, officials confirmed Wednesday. Click here for the full story.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said four of the nation’s largest banks agreed to temporarily suspend residential mortgage payments for Californians affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Read about the announcement here.
Heads up, parents. Public schools in the following Bay Area counties are extending closures through May 1: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara. Details here.
More law enforcement officers are testing positive for COVID-19.The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office said it now has five confirmed coronavirus cases among its staff. The San Francisco Sheriff's Office announced that four more staff have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. And in the San Francisco Police Department, the partner of a sergeant confirmed with coronavirus has also tested positive for COVID-19, according to the police union.
A total of five employees at San Francisco's Laguna Honda Hospital have also tested positive.
But one of the biggest updates, that caused quite a shock, came from the South Bay.
Half of the patients at Kaiser Permanente's San Jose facility have tested positive for COVID-19 or are showing symptoms of the virus, Kaiser's Executive Vice President Stephen M. Parodi said in an interview last week with JAMA Network. Check it out below at around the 1:31 mark.
Santa Clara County reports 84 new coronavirus cases for a county total of 459. The county also reported an additional coronavirus-related death, raising the county death toll to 17. Contra Costa County announced 22 new cases, bringing the county total to 108.
The number of coronavirus cases in San Mateo County was up to 165, and the county reported four additional deaths from the disease, bringing its death toll to five.
Here’s a look at the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Bay Area. (Note: these numbers are expected to change throughout the day as counties release more information.)
- Santa Clara County: 459
- San Francisco: 178
- San Mateo County: 165
- Alameda County: 135 (including Berkeley, which is counting separately from the county)
- Contra Costa County: 108
- Marin County: 60
- Sonoma County: 39
- Santa Cruz County: 25
- Solano County: 31
- Napa County: 6
- Mendocino County: 2
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency confirms an employee has tested positive for COVID-19.
A gate agent at Oakland International Airport also tested positive for COVID-19.
Tuesday, March 24
President Donald Trump said he is hoping the country will be reopened by Easter, which would be April 12.
Many health officials call for stricter restrictions, but the president said he was already looking toward easing advisories.
Here's a message from the California Governor's Office: Be like Will.
Governor Gavin Newsom held a Facebook Live to provide an update on the state’s response to COVID-19.
More deaths from COVID-19 are announced in Santa Clara and Alameda Counties. Santa Clara County reports a total of 16 deaths due to coronavirus and Alameda County confirms at least two deaths from COVID-19.
The City and County of San Francisco announced the first death of a resident with COVID-19. The man who died was in his 40s and had multiple, significant underlying health conditions, officials said.
Two Santa Rosa Police Department officers have tested positive for COVID-19 and a third officer sought medical treatment this week after showing flu-like symptoms. The third officer is waiting for test results. Watch an update from Chief Rainer Navarro below.
San Francisco Police Department announce a sergeant has tested positive for coronavirus. The sergeant was assigned to the SFPD Special Victims Unit at the Hall of Justice.
Santa Clara County Sheriff confirms four cases of COVID-19 in the department.
As the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus continues to rise in the Bay Area, so does online shopping delivery demands.
The U.S. Postal Service in response says it needs to hire as many as 1,000 workers in the Bay Area in order to keep up with the increase in package volume. The agency says the hiring will focus mostly in the San Francisco and San Jose areas.
In San Jose, the federal court house will be completely closed to the staff and public until April 7. This decision comes after a recent visitor tested positive for coronavirus.
Emergency workers at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and UCSF Medical Center will start wearing smart rings - a device that provides early detection of the coronavirus. You can read more about that here.
Gov. Gavin Newsom ruled out releasing violent inmates in response to the pandemic. He also said that other sorts of relief need to be carefully weighed to avoid the state's homelessness crisis. More on that here.
Here’s a breakdown of the latest Bay Area coronavirus cases. (Note: these numbers are expected to change throughout the day as counties release more information.)
- Santa Clara County: 375
- San Mateo County: 161
- San Francisco: 152
- Alameda County: 135 (including Berkeley, which is counting separately from the county)
- Contra Costa County: 86
- Marin County: 53
- Sonoma County: 34
- Santa Cruz County: 24
- Solano County: 24
- Napa County: 3
- Mendocino County: 2
Monday, March 23
Gov. Gavin Newsom said he will shut down parking lots at dozens of beaches and state parks to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Details here. The move comes after many flocked to beaches and parks over the first weekend the state was under a shelter-at-home order.
Officials in the Bay Area are poised to make similar calls if residents continue to disobey orders to shelter at home.
And be sure view the latest from our Investigative Unit. We take a look at whether Bay Area hospitals are prepared for an expected surge of coronavirus patients. Read and watch it here.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed provided an update on the city's response to COVID-19. Watch it below.
More coronavirus-related deaths announced in the Bay Area. Santa Clara County Public Health Department confirmed three new deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths to 13 in Santa Clara County. And in Alameda County, officials confirmed the county's first death due to coronavirus.
Here’s a breakdown of the latest Bay Area coronavirus cases. (Note: these numbers are expected to change throughout the day as counties release more information.)
- Santa Clara County: 321
- San Mateo County: 142
- San Francisco: 131
- Alameda County: 122 (including Berkeley, which is counting separately from the county)
- Contra Costa County: 71
- Marin County: 47
- Sonoma County: 29
- Santa Cruz County: 22
- Solano County: 21
- Napa County: 2
A Vallejo police officer has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to the police department. The officer traveled internationally earlier this month. When he returned, he was directed to self-quarantine. He has not been to the police department since returning from his trip. He continues to self-quarantine at home. His symptoms are said to be mild.
The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office announced three confirmed coronavirus cases amongst its staff. Two deputies are self-quarantining at home. One deputy is in stable condition at a local hospital.
A Santa Clara County Jail inmate has tested positive for coronavirus. The inmate is quarantined and is being closely monitored by medical staff. SJPD notified of the possible exposure to initial arresting officers.
Meanwhile, the University of San Francisco announced that there are two confirmed cases among "members of our USF community." The two people haven't been on campus for at least two weeks. They are at home recovering.
At least one member of the care staff at San Francisco's Laguna Honda Hospital has tested positive for COVID-19, officials say.
A Raley's in Antioch is closed after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. The company said e-mails have been sent to customers who shopped at the Raley's in Antioch over the last 30 days.
San Francisco supervisors announced a plan to protect the homeless from exposure to COVID-19 by housing them in hotels.
Contra Costa County officials announced new donation sites for medical supplies to help health care workers. Details here.
Federal, state, and county agencies at the Santa Clara Convention Center will begin converting into one of eight federal medical centers in the state. The converted medical centers will not be used to treat coronavirus patients, but will help take pressure off local hospitals.
The Milpitas Fire Department announced that two firefighters and one family member have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The three people are in self-quarantine at home.
Meanwhile, Marin County Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis says he has been diagnosed with the virus. Check out his message:
And to end the day's recap on a good -- and quite adorable note -- Want to learn how to make your own hand sanitizer? Janelle Wang and her adorable 4-year-old teach us how it's done.
Sunday, March 22
In order to continue to provide food during this crisis, the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank said it will host interim pop-up pantries available to everyone — residents do not need to sign up or bring ID in order to receive food. See a full list of locations here.
A Los Gatos restaurateur is transforming the parking lot of his business into a "no-touch" drive-through grocery store. It opens at noon Monday. Check out the full story here.
A new testing center opens in Hayward Monday at 9 a.m. Individuals can be tested for free. More info available here.
Marin County closed all parks after being inundated with visitors Saturday.
President Trump declared a disaster in the state of California and approved federal funds to be allocated to help the state fight the coronavirus.
Cases continue to pour in. Check out the latest numbers by county here.
Napa County health authorities announced their first confirmed coronavirus case.
"This is Napa County's first case and evidence that COVID-19 is in our community," county Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Relucio said.
Early Saturday, the International Olympic Committee said it is looking at postponing the Tokyo Olympics amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Later today, the White House Coronavirus Task Force will hold its daily press conference to update the public on the latest actions across the nation in response to the pandemic. You can check back here later to watch.
Saturday, March 21
Officials in beach towns around the Bay Area warned residents to stay in their communities as the first weekend of the stay at home order rolled around and beaches were overrun with visitors.
A Sunnyvale company has created COVID-19 tests that it says can deliver results in just 45 min.
Gov. Gavin Newsom gave a press conference where he discussed the latest measures the state is taking to fight the coronavirus. Among them is an executive order issued by Newsom that will expand healthcare capacity. Read about it here.
Santa Clara County has rolled out a new hotline to take reports of businesses violating the shelter at home order. Hayward has a new hotline to provide the latest coronavirus information to its residents. More information is available here.
This morning, San Francisco, San Mateo County, Contra Costa County, Sonoma County and Solano County reported new coronavirus cases. There are over 500 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Bay Area. You can find a full list of cases in the Bay Area here.
Also, PG&E is donating 1 million N95 masks to hospital staff and first responders. They are also contributing $1M to nonprofits that are helping people facing food shortages right now. You can read more about that here.
An Oakland Police Department officer has tested positive for coronavirus. The department said it has taken immediate actions and precautions to protect other workers.
A law student at Santa Clara University also tested positive for coronavirus. The student's last day on campus was March 6 at Charney Hall and is currently self-isolating off-campus.
In response, SCU is closing residence halls, graduate and law residences, and neighborhood units for the spring semester.
School districts around the Bay Area are expanding their free meal pickup services, with some even including dinners. Click here for more info.
Santa Clara County is running a stockpile drive for medical equipment as healthcare workers prepare to handle large numbers of patients when coronavirus testing ramps up in the region. The county's health system is planning for the weeks and months ahead, and while stock exists of necessary equipment, officials said there will be a need for more.
Friday, March 20
Event cancellations and closures continue pouring in.
The Gilroy Garlic Festival is not happening this summer, organizers have postponed it to July 23-25, 2021. "The Gilroy Garlic Festival Association looks forward to welcoming you in 2021 for the best festival ever,” the organization said Friday.
Another hard hit -- Yosemite National Park announced it'd be closed to the public starting Friday at 3 p.m. The park will only be open to residents in communities within the limits of the park and authorized employees.
Beware of coronavirus scams! Check out the warnings from officials below.
What does the term "flatten the curve" mean? Watch this short video below from the City of San Ramon to find out more about slowing the spread of COVID-19.
Thirteen firefighters from the San Jose Fire Department tested positive for COVID-19. The department said that an additional 75 are being monitored.
San Jose's Mayor Sam Liccardo and police Chief Eddie Garcia in a 10 a.m. news conference Friday discussed how the shelter-in-place order will be enforced in the city. Watch the press conference below.
Also, here's a note from San Jose police about a rumor making its rounds.
Oakland officials announced a COVID-19 relief fund for residents and first responders.
The Santa Clara County Public Health department announced two new deaths from COVID-19, raising the coronavirus-related deaths to 8.
Details from the county: The seventh death was an adult male in his 80s who was hospitalized on Tuesday, March 3 and passed away on Tuesday, March 17. The eighth death was an adult male in his 70s.
The Oakland Police Department reported its first case where an employee tested positive for COVID-19. Officials said the employee is currently offsite, self-quarantined, and recovering. The employee has not been to work since March 15, 2020
Contra Costa County confirmed its first death linked to COVID-19. The patient died Thursday in a county hospital. The Contra Costa resident was in their 70s and had a pre-existing condition that put them at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19, and a history of recent overseas travel, officials said.
The state of California has thrown a lifeline to a struggling hospital on the Peninsula. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday night that the state would be sending Seton Medical Center in Daly City millions of dollars a month in emergency funds to lease beds during the coronavirus outbreak.
The Marin Community Foundation and County of Marin created a $1 million fund to help vulnerable populations during the response to the coronavirus. The short-term assistance money, $500,000 from each party, is intended to address urgent safety-net needs.
Later in the day, Marin County reported 13 additional cases of COVID-19, raising the county total to 38.
Thursday, March 19
Marin County reported 10 new confirmed coronavirus cases, bringing the county's total to 25. It was the largest single-day increase since the county reported its first case on March 4.
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide stay-at-home order over the coronavirus pandemic. Read more on here or watch the video explainer below.
To watch the press conference in its entirety click here.
In an effort to combat the increasing hate crimes targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders stemming from people's reaction to the novel coronavirus pandemic, a coalition of civil rights groups has set up a web page where victims can report such incidents.
A San Jose Police Department reserve officer has tested positive for coronavirus and is quarantined at home, SJPD Chief Eddie Garcia said. More than 20 other reserve officers may have been exposed and have been asked not to come to the department.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed provided updates after she took a tour of the city's Emergency Operations Center. She said the city is up to 70 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. Watch her briefing below.
Public Health chief Dr. Grant Colfax said the city has hired 70 new nurses to help treat coronavirus patients and added that more testing is now available, meaning more diagnoses of the virus are likely.
The San Francisco 49ers and Comcast announced financial contributions to support Santa Clara County residents and nonprofits during the coronavirus pandemic. Check out the details in the tweets below.
Tesla is temporarily suspending production at its Fremont factory amid the coronavirus outbreak. View company statement here or check here for further details.
Here's a breakdown of the latest Bay Area coronavirus cases.
- Santa Clara: 189
- San Mateo: 89
- San Francisco: 70
- Contra Costa: 42
- Alameda: 35
- Marin: 15
- Santa Cruz: 14
- Solano: 10
- Sonoma: 8
- Napa: 0
Wednesday, March 18
Isolation vs. quarantine. Do you know the difference between the two? If not, let us explain in the video below.
Napa and Solano counties issued shelter-at-home orders. This now brings all nine Bay Area counties together in ordering residents to limit non-essential movement to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Get to know Silicon Valley Strong. It's a new initiative announced by San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo to help those hurt by the coronavirus pandemic. Check out the full details here.
Santa Clara County announced a sixth coronavirus-related death in the county. The person who died was a man in his 60s.
We also continue to track new coronavirus cases announced in the Bay Area. Here's a look at the latest total number of cases from counties reporting new cases:
- Santa Clara: 175
- San Mateo: 80
- San Francisco: 51
- Contra Costa: 41
- Alameda: 31
- Marin: 15
- Sonoma: 8
- Solano: 9
- Napa: 0
Add BottleRock Napa Valley to the growing list of events either being canceled or postponed. The popular music festival has been rescheduled for the weekend of Oct. 2-4, 2020. Check our events/services impacted list for more.
And here's a look at an empty Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport from this afternoon...
Photos: Live Blog: Latest Coronavirus Updates
In the East Bay, Alameda County says Tesla has told the county it has reduced its workforce at its Fremont factory from 10,000 to 2,500. Read more about the factory here.
Scott Budman, our business and tech reporter, took some of your questions and answered them in this livestream below.
Take a moment to check out this story from Digital Video Journalist Jonathan Bloom, who shows how the pandemic is impacting Academy of Art students.
And a few more stories we wanted to highlight for you. Our Joe Rosato Jr. shows how farmer's markets in San Francisco are providing an alternative to grocery stores. Reporter Jodi Hernandez also examines the latest on the state's efforts to house homeless in Oakland hotels during Alameda County's shelter-in-place order.
Earlier in the day, it was announced Marriott hotels are poised to furlough tens of thousands of workers across the chain, including those at the 400-room W Hotel in San Francisco, which is already closed due to lack of demand during the coronavirus pandemic.
On the national front, President Trump signed a coronavirus relief bill to boost testing and guarantee paid sick leave for millions of workers.
Tuesday, March 17
Gov. Gavin Newsom says most schools in the state will likely be out until the fall.
Unfortunately, Santa Clara County reported another coronavirus-related death. This is the county's fifth death reported due to coronavirus. The number of coronavirus cases in the Bay Area also continued to climb. Here's a quick look at some of the new numbers:
- Santa Clara County: +17 (155 total)
- San Mateo County: +22 (64 total)
- Contra Costa County: +5 (39 total)
- Alameda County: +6 (27 total)
- Marin County +4 (15 total)
San Jose State University said an off-campus student tested positive for coronavirus and was self-isolating at home. It is unclear if that case is reflected in the new numbers above.
Earlier in the day, millions of Bay Area residents woke up to empty streets on the first official day they are ordered to shelter-in-place to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
Here's a look at the counties under the order and what's open/closed:
It should be noted Sonoma County later in the day announced it would be joining other counties in directing residents to shelter in place effective midnight on Wednesday March 18, 2020. You can view more here in this press release.
And about today's commute...
Meanwhile, the White House seeks a $1 trillion stimulus for virus response. Full breakdown on what the proposal means for you if approved.
And don't forget, we're in this together. We want to hear from you. How are you spending the time while at home? Share your story by sending us photos and/or videos via e-mail (isee@nbcbayarea.com) or by sending us a tweet or message on Facebook. We may feature your story in our newscasts.
Monday, March 16
Don't leave home, "except for essential needs." That's what mayors and health officials stressed at afternoon press conferences to residents across six Bay Area counties while announcing stay-at-home orders beginning Tuesday. Full coverage here or watch the press conferences below. The orders sparked urgency among concerned residents, who flocked to stores to stock up on food and supplies.
Earlier in the day, President Donald Trump outlined a 15-day plan to try to slow down the spread of coronavirus in the U.S. The plan includes asking people to avoid groups of 10 or more and closing bars and restaurants. Full story here.
Sunday, March 15
Gov. Gavin Newsom urged the state's 5.3 million people who are 65 and older and those with chronic health conditions to isolate to protect themselves from the virus. He also called for all bars, wineries, nightclubs and brewpubs to close. The latest on California's battle against COVID-19 here.
In the Bay Area, the number of coronavirus cases continued to climb. Health officials said to expect the region's total number of cases to increase in the coming days.
