Tag Archives: count

Solano County reports one new case of coronavirus COVID 19

By Roger Straw, March 16, 2020

UPDATE: See today’s latest information


Solano County is reporting a single new positive case of COVID 19, but the report is ambiguous, and seems to suggest that there are actually two new cases.  The total number of cases in Solano County reported on the County’s Public Health website rose from 6 to 7 on March 15.  UPDATE/CLARIFICATION: KRON4 News clarifies that there is only ONE person who is an adult dependent of a service member, and that the disease was from a community contact.

An additional Solano County case of COVID-19 found at Travis Air Force Base due to community acquired exposure

March 15, 2020

SOLANO COUNTY – Solano Public Health officials received confirmation that a Solano County resident and an adult dependent of a service member at Travis Air Force Base has tested positive due to community acquired exposure to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).  The individual is in isolation at their respective off-base residence. A Contra Costa resident and active-duty airman also tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is in isolation at their respective off-base residence.

Solano Public Health is coordinating closely with Travis Air Force base to provide important care to these individuals. The agencies will continue to work together to mitigate the effects of the virus and provide pertinent updates as timely as possible.There continues to be a low risk of COVID-19 to the community. There are simple daily precautions that everyone should take, such as:

– Washing your hands with soap and water, and rubbing for at least 20 seconds
– Coughing or sneezing into a tissue, sleeve or arm (not your hands)
– Avoiding close contact with people who are sick
– Staying home when you are sick
– Avoiding touching your face, particularly your eyes, nose and mouth
– Performing routine surface cleaning, particularly for items which are frequently touched such as doorknobs, handles, remotes, keyboards and other commonly shared surfaces
– If you are an older adult (60+ years of age), avoid congregate and social gatherings
– Getting a flu shot to protect against the flu, which has similar symptoms to COVID-19

If you have recently returned from a country with ongoing COVID-19 infections, monitor your health and call your health care provider first before going to the medical facility if you develop fever and other sign/symptoms of a lower respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath.

For more information about this rapidly evolving situation, visit cdc.gov/COVID19. For local updates, visit solanocounty.com/publichealth or the Solano Public Health Facebook page, @SolanoCountyPH.

For information about influenza activity and surveillance in California, visit the CDPH website at www.cdph.ca.gov

Coronavirus updates from Solano County, City of Benicia and Benicia Unified School District

By Roger Straw

UPDATE: See today’s latest information


UPDATE ON FRIDAY, MARCH 15

Solano County

As of today [March 15], Solano County has 7 confirmed positive cases of the Coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID 19).   This number is updated daily at 2 pm on the website of the Solano County Department of Public Health.

Of particular interest: Solano County Fact sheet – Guidance for Vulnerable Populations at High Risk

Also: Solano County Press Releases

The City of Benicia

The City of Benicia has also published an online Coronavirus page.  Of interest: a March 11 press release from Fire Chief Josh Chadwick.  Of interest (excerpt):

…City Hall, Benicia Public Library, Benicia Community Center and Benicia Senior Center remain open and operational with appropriate measures in place to protect the health of staff and the community. In an abundance of caution, the following events are City of Benicia programs which will be postponed or canceled until further notice due to the difficulty in maintaining social distancing:

      • Wednesday, March 11: Family Reading Night for students at Robert Semple and Joe Henderson Elementary Schools
      • Wednesday, March 17: Objective Planning Standards Stakeholder meeting
      • Sunday, March 22: Ramana Vieira and Ensemble at the Library
      • Fridays: Board Game Evenings at the Library
      • Next two weeks: All Storytimes and After School Zone, due to limited space at the Library

The Benicia Unified School District

The BUSD sent the following announcement to parents this afternoon:

March 12, 2020

Dear Families,

Benicia Unified School District (BUSD) continues to monitor the COVID-19 with on-going, regular guidance and communication from Solano County Health Department (SCHD) who works directly with the Center of Disease Control (CDC), the State Department of Health (SDH) and the California Department of Education (CDE).  The health and safety of our students and staff continues to be our number one priority. At this time, BUSD has not been notified of any confirmed cases. As schools are deemed an essential service, schools will remain open unless ordered to close by The Solano County Department of Public Health. If the situation changes, BUSD will follow the COVID-19 school protocols established by the SDH in partnership with the agencies listed above regarding any further measures.

The Health Department continues to recommend and we continue to promote the following:

  • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available
  • Cough into a tissue or your elbow
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
  • Stay home when you are sick
  • BUSD staff are taking extra measures to deep clean buildings and classrooms each night

In addition, we are implementing social distancing protocols effective through the end of Spring break April 12, 2020, as outlined in new guidelines from SCHD. Therefore we will be:

  • Postponing all events at our facilities outside of the school day, including outside user groups
  • Postponing or canceling all field trips, fundraisers, music events, performances, enrichment activities, school assemblies, and club meetings
  • Having no classroom volunteers on campuses
  • Having no guest speakers or outside group performances
  • Having only Diablo Athletic Leagues (DAL) sanctioned supporting events and practices
  • Having no spectators, including, parents and guardians at sporting events; only those adults needed to manage the event will be allowed at the event

We are working on plans to provide a continuity of learning should the situation change or school(s) need to be closed in the future. As part of our ongoing partnership, we are asking our parents to look ahead and make contingent plans in case things change and we are forced to close schools. If your child has extenuating health circumstances, please contact your health care provider to get additional recommendations.

Please continue to refer to Solano County Public health and the CDC websites for updated information pertaining to the virus.  We will continue to provide updates as information is made available to us. Thank you for your patience and your partnership.

Sincerely,

Dr. Charles Young
Superintendent