Coronavirus Update: TSA Agents Test Positive; San Francisco Catholic Schools Close; Grand Princess Exodus Continues
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The tsunami of news about the current coronavirus outbreak can be overwhelming. To help you navigate through what you need to know -- KPIX.com/KPIX 5 News/CBSN Bay Area -- will be publishing a news roundup each morning so you can start your day with the latest developments impacting you, your family and your daily life.
3 TSA Officers Test Positive For Coronavirus At Mineta San Jose Int'l Airport
SAN JOSE -- Three TSA agents who work at Mineta San Jose International Airport have tested positive for coronavirus, a TSA spokesperson said Tuesday. The three Transportation Security Officers were currently receiving medical care and all other TSA employees they've been in contact with over the past two weeks are now quarantined at home, the TSA said. Airport screening checkpoints remain open at Mineta San Jose. Read More
Alameda City Firefighter Diagnosed With Coronavirus, Treated In Outside County
ALAMEDA -- A firefighter from the city of Alameda has been diagnosed with coronavirus and is being treated in another county, a city official said Tuesday. The firefighter has been treated for the virus since March 5th. Alameda public information officer Sarah Henry confirmed the case, but would not say which outside county the firefighter was being treated in. All city buildings have been thoroughly cleaned, including the fire stations, Henry said. It wasn't known Tuesday which fire station the firefighter was assigned to. Read More
Saratoga Michelin Star Restaurant Provides 'Black Glove Service' Due To Coronavirus Concerns
SARATOGA -- A restaurant in Saratoga is providing "black glove service"--black latex gloves--in an effort to address customers' concerns over the coronavirus. The Plumed Horse, a Michelin one star restaurant for more than a decade, has modified its dining halls, moving tables so they are now at least 6 feet away from each other for social spacing. And every employee is wearing gloves. "Every time they touch those tables, they change out, their hands are sanitized, new gloves so that there's no cross contamination between tables," said Josh Weeks, owner of the Plumed Horse. Read More
Santa Clara County Rolls Out New Mitigation Strategies To Fight Spread Of Coronavirus
SAN JOSE -- Santa Clara County's top public health official said the strategy to battle the spread of coronavirus in the South Bay is shifting from "containment to mitigation." Dr. Sara Cody, the public health director, said the COVID-19 outbreak has been developing at such a rapid pace that her department has had to revise response plans day by day, sometimes as often as every six hours. "This is all hands on deck. We each have a role to play," said Cody. "This is an unprecedented public health challenge for our country and certainly here in the county." Read More
Santa Rosa Student Home From Coronavirus Stricken-Italy Is Sleeping In His Driveway
A group of students from Santa Rosa Junior College were studying abroad in Italy, when the coronavirus began spreading there. Most of them were still stuck there as of Tuesday night. But one student who was able to leave before the flights ended is just glad to be home. Well, almost home. Jake Eastman is resting comfortably at his parents' house in Santa Rosa. Actually, he's living in their driveway. He has spent the last 5 days in the family's travel trailer in a self-quarantine after returning from a foreign studies trip to Italy. Read More
San Jose Approves Moratorium On Evictions As Coronavirus Takes Toll On Economy
SAN JOSE -- The San Jose City Council unanimously approved Mayor Sam Liccardo's proposal to place a temporary moratorium on housing evictions for people economically affected by the coronavirus and are having trouble paying their rent. The proposal passed in principle and the city attorney's office is crafting an ordinance which will come back to the city council later this month. "We know this is going to get worse before it gets better, so it's important for us to get ahead of this," said Mayor Sam Liccardo. Read More
Grand Princess Passenger Exodus Grinds On; Some Evacuees Head To Bay Area Hotels
OAKLAND -- Most of the 2,000-plus passengers stuck aboard the coronavirus-stricken Grand Princess were still awaiting their orders to get off the boat at the Port of Oakland Tuesday as hundreds were processed before beginning a mandated 14-day quarantine before they will be allowed to return to their homes. Princess Cruise officials confirmed a total of 1,406 people were disembarked from the Grand Princess as of Tuesday evening. Read More
Teachers Demand More Supplies To Fight Coronavirus As East Bay Schools Remain Open
MARTINEZ -- Contra Costa County health officials issued new guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus Tuesday. While schools will stay open for now, a number of teachers have questions about that decision. "We want to take care of our children and let them come here and have meals and other things they were lying on us for," says Gabby Micheletti, a teacher at Richmond's Verde Elementary School. "We also have to think about who they go home to, and what a vulnerable population there is, especially in places like North Richmond." Read More
South Bay Senior Center Takes Steps To Protect Residents From Coronavirus
SAN JOSE -- Senior centers and communities throughout Santa Clara County are taking tough new measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus through especially vulnerable, elderly populations. "I'm very concerned. I mean I'm trying to do my part," says 93-year-old Virginia Rolls who lives in The Villages, an independent senior living community tucked away in San Jose's Evergreen foothills. Read More
Archdiocese Of San Francisco To Close 90 Bay Area Catholic Schools Over Coronavirus Concerns
SAN FRANCISCO -- The Archdiocese of San Francisco Tuesday afternoon announced plans to close all 90 Catholic schools in the region starting Thursday, cancelling classes and all student activity through March 25 The Archdiocese said on Sunday evening, the San Francisco Public Health Department confirmed that an ASF student has tested positive for coronavirus. The closure will impact students at 90 schools in Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties, lasting nearly two weeks. Read More
Coronavirus Cluster From Mexico Cruise Ship Grows; New Case In Alameda County
OAKLAND -- Alameda County health officials announced a new coronavirus case Tuesday of a passenger who was on the Feb. 11-21 cruise to Mexico aboard the Grand Princess. There have been at least 14 cases including one death tracked back to that voyage. The Grand Princess was been the centerpiece of two coronavirus outbreaks over the last month. Read More
San Francisco Public Defender Calls For Release Of Jail Inmates With Heightened Risk Of Coronavirus
SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Public Defender's Office is calling for the immediate release of pre-trial jail inmates who are at heightened risk of contracting coronavirus. In a statement, Public Defender Mano Raju said his office would begin filing motions to seek the release of all clients in San Francisco county jails at heightened risk, such as people over 60, those with heart or lung disease, diabetes, cancer, HIV, or autoimmune diseases. Read More
BART Sees Dip In Ridership Amid Coronavirus Concerns
OAKLAND -- Fear of spreading the novel coronavirus are suspected of causing a dip in ridership for at least one Bay Area transit agency, according to data released Tuesday by BART. According to a spokesman for the agency, BART ridership from March 2 to 5 was down 8 percent compared to ridership from Feb. 24 to 27. BART spokesman Jim Allison said officials are mulling how the agency could be affected financially in the coming weeks and months if the risk of contracting the virus increases. Read More
PROTECTING YOUR HEALTH
Coronavirus Vs. Common Flu: UC Berkeley Public Health Professor Compares Both
BERKELEY -- There's been some talk lately comparing the common flu virus with the coronavirus. KPIX met with Dr. John Swartzberg, clinical professor for Public Health, Emeritus, at the University of California, Berkeley, to hear his thoughts about that comparison. Swartzberg says the regular flu kills tens of thousands of people every year. It presents itself with fever, cough and runny nose. "The coronavirus--COVID-19--also has high fever, cough, sometimes, usually the cough is dry, you don't usually bring up anything. Body aches all over. You may have some upper respiratory symptoms, too, such as a sore throat," he said, noting that it's quite difficult to distinguish between the two viruses. Read More
How Long Does The Coronavirus Live On Surfaces? The Experts Weigh In
SAN FRANCISCO -- While the coronavirus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person, the experts say COVID-19 can spread when you touch a contaminated surface. But how long does it live on a surface? The experts say viruses normally remain active longer whenever they fall on stainless steel, plastic, or other similarly hard surfaces, according to International Business Times, as compared to when they would fall of soft surfaces like fabrics. Professor Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer of England, says the droplets that lead to COVID-19 infection can stay on a "hard" surface like bus and train handrails, for up to 72 hours. Read More
OUTSIDE THE BAY AREA
Coachella Music Festival Postponed Until October Amid Coronavirus Concerns
SAN FRANCISCO -- The organizer of the Cochella music festival has postponed the event until October, due to COVID-19 concerns. Cochella is perhaps the largest and most anticipated music festival of the year. Goldenvoice posted a tweet on Tuesday afternoon, saying the decision comes "at a time of universal uncertainty," and urges everyone to "follow the guidelines and protocols put forth by public health officials." Read More
Life Under A Coronavirus Lockdown; Bay Area Woman Checks In From Rome
ROME -- When Sarah Frank moved to Europe from San Francisco, she didn't know the city would've prepared her for a massive coronavirus outbreak in Italy. "I feel so ready for something like this," she explained in a facetime with KPIX 5. "Because after riding BART, after walking through the Tenderloin, you know these things, like taking your shoes off at home, never touch your face, cover your mouth when you cough." Frank is among 60 million people in Italy currently under a government mandated coronavirus lockdown as the county's struggles to halt the spread of the virus. Read More
New York Gov. Cuomo Announces 1-Mile 'Containment Area' In New Rochelle, Closes Large Gathering Places There For 2 Weeks
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — New York officials have announced "dramatic action" in their efforts to combat the spread of coronavirus. Recognizing that New Rochelle has been particularly hard hit and is problematic in terms of the spread of the virus, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday that officials are implementing a one mile radius "containment area" there. Read More
51 More Test Positive For Coronavirus In Massachusetts, Bringing Total To 92
BOSTON (CBS) — There are 51 new cases of coronavirus in Massachusetts, the Department of Public Health announced Tuesday, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 92. The new cases are all presumptive positive tests from the state. Test results are sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation. Seventy cases have been connected to a Biogen employee conference that took place in Boston a few weeks ago. Four have been connected to travel, and 18 cases are under investigation. Read More
