Coronavirus Roundup: Windsor Boy Gets Shelter-In-Place Surprise; New Cases, Deaths Mount; Tales Of Survival

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The tsunami of news about the current coronavirus outbreak and now the shelter-in-place 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 of the top coronavirus-related stories from the last 24 hours so you can start your day with the latest updated developments.

Tales Of Surviving The Virus

Bay Area Patients Tell Their Experience of COVID-19 Survival
EMERYVILLE -- With a sharp increase of COVID-19 cases in the Bay Area, many are wondering what happens if they test positive for the virus. Patients who have recovered from the virus are now starting to share their successful treatment stories. On March 3, Palo Alto resident Monica Yeung Arima returned home from Egypt and sensed she was coming down with something. One week later, she tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Because she had underlying medical conditions including a weak respiratory system, she was eligible for a clinical trial for Remdesivir, an antiviral drug developed to treat Ebola. Read More

Start Your Day With A Smile

Coronavirus-Sheltering Windsor Boy Surprised With Parade In Front Of Home For 10th Birthday
WINDSOR (CBS SF) -- Despite reaching the milestone of his 10th birthday, Windsor resident Aiden Lower could not have been feeling much lower as he contemplated celebrating the double digit birthday cooped up alone because of the coronavirus sheltering.

But Aiden family had a big surprise planned for him Wednesday. Around lunchtime, a parade of vehicles appeared outside his house, honking their horns and blasting music to give him a birthday party on wheels. Read More

For More Uplifting Stories -- KPIX 5 Better Together Section

Coronavirus Outbreak

Warriors Star Steph Curry Confirms COVID-19 Test During Star-Studded Online Chat
SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry teammed up Thursday with Dr. Anthony Fauci for an online Instagram Live on the deadly coronavirus outbreak for at least 65,000 of his followers including former President Barack Obama. Curry and his teammates are currently sidelined by a suspension of the NBA season after several players have tested positive for the virus including former teammate Kevin Durant. Read More

San Jose City Manager Expects County COVID-19 Death Toll to Approach 2,000 in 'Best Case' Scenario
SAN JOSE -- Two thousand people are estimated to die from COVID-19 in the next 12 weeks in Santa Clara county alone in what the San Jose city manager called the best-case scenario. "This again is the best case and even there we are likely to see many, many hundreds or up to 2,000 deaths," said San Jose deputy city manager Kip Harkness during Tuesday's city council meeting. The report by city manager David Sykes gave three scenarios for COVID-19 deaths. Read More

Slowdown In Coronavirus Spread May Not Be Known For Weeks
BERKELEY -- A biostatistics professor at the University of California at Berkeley's School of Public Health said on Wednesday that it will take at least a few weeks before the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus in the U.S. is made clear. Speaking at a virtual town hall with other UC-Berkeley health experts, professor Nicholas Jewell said, "The first indication if the rate is slowing down in California and the U.S. will come in a few weeks." Jewell said lowering the rate at which COVID-19 is reproduced from one person to others is a key factor in trying to control the spread of the disease. Read More

San Francisco Emergency 911 Call Center Employee Tests Positive for Coronavirus
SAN FRANCISCO -- An employee working in the 911 call center of the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, a department spokesman said Thursday night. The employee, who was not identified, began showing symptoms Friday, March 20 -- the last day the worker was on the job. Read More

Free Coronavirus Testing Site In Hayward Overwhelmed By Long Lines
HAYWARD -- A Hayward fire station offering free COVID-19 testing was forced to turn many people away Thursday as organizers continued to refine their methods to process the maximum number of test samples and best serve the public. On Day 4 of the free testing, the lines of cars and people hoping to determine whether or not they already have coronavirus were long, stretching more than half a mile at one point. "This is the first time that we've ever done this, so we're making adjustments on the fly," said Hayward Fire spokesperson Don Nichelson. Read More

Cases Surge Past 500 In Santa Clara County; 2 Additional Deaths
SAN JOSE-- Health officials announced 83 new cases of the in Santa Clara County Thursday afternoon, now totaling bringing the total to 542 cases. In addition, two more deaths from the virus were reported Thursday, bringing the total to 19 across the county. Santa Clara County has been the hardest hit by the COVID-19 spread among all Bay Area counties and the second most of all California counties after Los Angeles, which has 1,216 confirmed cases as of Thursday afternoon. Read More

NEMS Health Center Opens Drive-Thru Testing Sites In Daly City, San Jose
SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco-based non-profit health care firm North East Medical Services (NEMS) has announced new drive-through coronavirus testing sites at two of its Bay Area clinics. The testing sites have been set up in the parking lots of the 211 Eastmoor Ave., Daly City site and the 870 Lundy Ave., San Jose clinic. COVID-19 testing at these sites are currently limited to NEMS patients who are symptomatic and by appointment only. Read More

Alameda County Health Officials Report 29 New Cases, 2 Deaths
OAKLAND -- Alameda County health officials announced two new coronavirus deaths Thursday and an additional 29 individuals who have tested positive for the virus. The fatalities were the 27th and 28th in the Bay Area since the outbreak began more than two months ago. They also came during a particularly deadly 24-hour period in the region. San Francisco reported a new death Thursday while four deaths were reported in San Mateo County on Wednesday. Read More

San Mateo County Reports 30 New Cases; 3rd Most In Bay Area
REDWOOD CITY -- Health officials in San Mateo County reported 30 new cases of the novel coronavirus Thursday, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 195, the third highest in the Bay Area. Increased testing was expected to uncover more cases of COVID-19 infection. In California, the number of cases surpassed 3,000, including more than 1,200 in the Bay Area. Santa Clara County has the most coronavirus cases with 459 as of Thursday morning, along with 17 deaths. San Francisco County reported 43 new cases Thursday, for a total of 223. Read More

San Francisco Officials Report 43 New Cases, Second Death
SAN FRANCISCO -- With more testing San Francisco health officials announced Thursday their number of cases had jumped by 43 and there has been a second death. The fatality was the 26th in the Bay Area on followed a day on which neighboring San Mateo County announced four new deaths. Three of those coronavirus victims were described as elderly adults and the fourth was the second resident of the Atria Senior Living facility in Burlingame to die from the virus. Read More

Coronavirus, Shelter-In-Place Impacts On Public Transportation

Taxi Drivers Call On SFMTA For Relief During Massive Drop In Business
SAN FRANCISCO -- Taxi drivers in San Francisco on Thursday asked the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency for relief as they say they're facing a dramatic decline in business, despite being an essential service. According to the San Francisco Taxi Workers Alliance, as taxis continue to operate during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the alliance is asking the city to waive permit fees for drivers for the remainder of the 2020 fiscal year, which ends in June, and to extend the waiver for the next two years. Read More

VTA Santa Clara Valley Service Grinds To Halt After Trainee Tests Positive
SAN JOSE -- All Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light rail train service was halted indefinitely early Thursday after a light rail operator trainee tested posted for the coronavirus, officials said. VTA spokeswoman Brandi Childress said in a statement that the agency was informed of the positive coronavirus test late Wednesday, and were working to determine the extent of the spread. Childress wasn't able to provide an update on the condition of the employee. Read More

Caltrain Reduces Weekday Service, Baby Bullet Suspended
SAN MATEO -- Caltrain announced Thursday that it will reduce its weekday train service by more than half starting next week amid sharp ridership losses due to the novel coronavirus. The commuter rail service will reduce its daily weekday train service from 92 daily trains to 42 indefinitely, making all local stops between San Francisco and San Jose every 30-60 minutes. Caltrain will also suspend limited and baby bullet train service and will operate two trains to Gilroy during the morning and afternoon commute hours. Read More

SFMTA To Shut Down Muni Metro, Switch To All Bus Service
SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has announced that it will temporarily replace all Muni Metro and light rail service with buses starting on Monday, March 30, due to changes in ridership from the COVID-19 stay-at-home order. The announcement was initially made via Twitter Wednesday evening at about 7:45 p.m. Read More

Other Bay Area Coronavirus Headlines

Despite Outreach, Few Bay Area Homeless Occupy New Shelters As Coronavirus Epidemic Deepens
SAN FRANCISCO -- Homeless outreach workers are passing out hand sanitizer, checking temperatures and pleading with people not to crowd together. But a week after Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged thousands of hotel rooms to help the homeless survive the coronavirus pandemic, most of those rooms sit empty. For most of California's estimated 150,000 homeless, the message they're getting — if they get one at all — is to isolate themselves if they feel sick and call a doctor if symptoms worsen. Read More

Coronavirus Pandemic Puts Oakland A's, San Francisco Giants Opening Day On Hold
SAN FRANCISCO -- Major League Baseball stadiums sat empty Thursday on what would have been Opening Day amid the gravity of the fight against the coronavirus, and an unofficial national celebration came and went. "It's an unusually sad day," said Giants fan Charles Hardy. "Opening Day is very important. I would say it's a religious holiday." Something of a religious holiday for baseball fans like Hardy, Opening Day is now another reminder of what Americans have given up in the collective effort to save lives. Read More

Alameda Superior Court Releases 8 More Santa Rita Inmates Due To COVID-19 Concerns
DUBLIN -- Alameda County Superior Court Presiding Judge Tara Desautels this week ordered that eight low-risk inmates at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin be released early because they were deemed to be vulnerable to getting the COVID-19 coronavirus due to their age or health issues. The release of the eight inmates means that a total of 322 inmates have now been released from Santa Rita since a shelter-in-place order took effect on March 17. Read More

Corner Stores Offer Essential Supplies During Coronavirus Shortages
RICHMOND -- Bay Area residents still trying to replenish some elusive supplies during the COVID-19 outbreak may find their best bet for tracking them down is just around the corner from their house. There are still shortages, but the Colusa Market in Kensington was busy restocking Thursday. Owner Ike Joh said things may not be normal, but they were improving. "You know, supplies are getting better and better. It takes a little time. Much better than last week," said Joh. Read More

REAL ID Deadline To Be Pushed Back At Least A Year Over Coronavirus
SAN FRANCISCO -- The deadline to obtain a REAL ID, federally mandated identification that will be needed for passengers to board aircraft, will be extended until October 1, 2021 -- a year past the current deadline, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The Senate stimulus bill also requires the deadline be pushed until at least the end of September 2021. Before the coronavirus pandemic swept across the US, states were preparing to issue residents "REAL ID-compliant" driver's licenses or identification by the October 1, 2020 deadline.
Read More

Alameda County DA, State AG Warn About Fraudulent Activity, Price Gouging
OAKLAND -- Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley and county sheriff's officials are asking people to report novel coronavirus-related scams, price gouging, and non-compliance with health orders. Separately, state Attorney General Xavier Becerra warned Californians Thursday to beware of fraudulent charities during the COVID-19 coronavirus public health emergency. Read More

Golden Gate National Recreation Area Closes Parking Lots
SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden Gate National Recreation Area announced Thursday that it will scale back services outside of visitor and resource protection in an effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Operations at Muir Woods National Monument, the Marin Headlands Visitor Center, the Point Bonita Lighthouse, the Kirby Cove and Bicentennial campgrounds, Alcatraz Island, the Presidio visitor center, Fort Point National Historic Site, the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center and Lands End Lookout will remain closed until further notice. Read More

SurveyUSA Coronavirus Poll: Most Americans Disagree With President Trump's Assertions On Pandemic Response
SAN FRANCISCO -- A large majority of Americans disagree with President Donald Trump's assertions that the economic cost of stopping the coronavirus spread may be worse than the disease, and that the U.S. should open for business by Easter Sunday. A SurveyUSA poll of 1,000 Americans nationwide asked about a number of aspects of the government's response to the pandemic. Most of the respondents, 64 percent, said they were familiar with the expression, "flatten the curve," referring to the effort to keep patients from quickly overwhelming the local health authorities' ability to treat them. Read More

Sonoma County To Hold Blood Drives To Replenish Dwindling Supply
SONOMA COUNTY -- Hundreds of blood drives in the state have been canceled because of the COVID-19 coronavirus, but two North Bay elected officials have joined with the blood bank Vitalant to hold two drives at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds this Friday and Tuesday. "There's an urgent need to replenish blood supplies during the coronavirus and Sonoma County has stepped up big time to meet the demand," state Sen. Mike McGuire, D-Healdsburg, said. Read More

Nurses' Union Locates 39 Million N95 Masks For Governments, Health Care Systems
OAKLAND -- Service Employees International Union United Healthcare Workers West announced Thursday that it located 39 million N95 masks and will make them available to state and local governments and health care systems that are fighting the novel coronavirus outbreak. The union found a distributor with the masks, which are cleared for surgical use, after pleas from health care workers as new coronavirus cases surge across the state and the country as a whole. Read More

Marin County Property Taxes Remain Due Despited Coronavirus Pandemic
SAN RAFAEL -- Marin County has told its residents that property taxes will remain due April 10 despite the ongoing novel coronvirus pandemic. County officials said that 120 local public agencies rely on the revenue of property taxes to maintain essential public services. Residents will need to pay their second installment of 2019-2020 property taxes by April 10 to avoid penalties. Read More

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• Contra Costa County
• Coronavirus
• San Francisco