Coronavirus Roundup: Curry's ICU Pep Talk; Frightening Outbreaks At Senior Care Facilities; Drop In ICU Patients Statewide
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.
Good News -- Neighbors Helping Neighbors
San Jose Church's Massive Food Giveaway Draws Overwhelming Crowds
SAN JOSE -- The amount of hunger and hardship caused by the coronavirus was put into perspective at Cathedral of Faith church in San Jose, where hundreds of cars lined up for an organized food giveaway on Thursday. But so many cars showed up nearby streets were gridlocked by an onslaught of the needy. "We're trying to serve as many cars as we can, and do it as quickly as we can. But the number of cars has been overwhelming," said Pastor Ken Foreman. Read More
San Francisco Firefighters Extend Toy Giveaway to Needy Families Sheltering at Home
SAN FRANCISCO -- It's Christmas in April for some San Francisco families financially devastated by the coronavirus crisis. The San Francisco Firefighters Toy Program, which has been helping families with donated holiday gifts since 1949, is now retooling its annual giveaway to meet the moment. "These are people who have been Read More
AIDS Memorial Quilt Volunteers Make Masks For Oakland Homeless
OAKLAND -- More than a dozen volunteers with the National AIDS Memorial Quilt are using leftover fabric and putting their sewing skills to use during the coronavirus pandemic by creating masks for the Bay Area's homeless and service providers. According to the organization, its volunteers have begun mobilizing to make reusable masks for staff and clients of Oakland-based Bay Area Community Services. The masks have room to insert a surgical mask inside, turning it into a washable cover for better protection and longer use. They can also be worn over an N95 mask. The volunteers are working in isolation to sew the masks, making more than 400 in the first week. Read More
For Uplifting Stories Of Neighbors Helping Neighbors Visit Our Better Together Section
Coronavirus Surge
Newsom Reports Drop In Number Of Californians Being Treated In ICU Units
SACRAMENTO -- For the first time since he began his daily coronavirus briefings, Gov. Gavin Newsom was able to announce a drop in the number of the Californians who have been stricken by the virus being treated in ICU units across the state. Currently, there were 1,132 coronavirus patients in ICU care, a drop of 1.9 percent from Wednesday. But while being encouraged, Newsom said he was also being cautious. "Here is a percentage drop that I have not been communicating in any of my daily briefing," Newsom said. "That number of 1,132 represents a drop of 1.9 percent from yesterday. One data point is not a trend, one datapoint does not make a headline. So I caution anyone from reading too much into that one point. None the less it is encouraging." Read More
Warriors Steph Curry Delivers Lockerroom Pep Talk To Hospital ICU Workers
SAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry has delivered many lockerroom speeches, rallying his teammates from a halftime deficits. This week, his audience was a group of nurses on the front lines of the battle against the coronavirus at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center ICU Unit. ICU nurse Shelby Delaney captured the two-time NBA MVP's attention when she posted a photo on social media wearing a Curry jersey under her scrubs along with the text line -- "summon my inner warrior." Read More
Newsom Unveils Housing Plan For California Health Care Workers
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a plan Thursday to assist health care workers who have been forced to remain away from their families because of fears of exposing them to the coronavirus with their expenses. Newsom said he has heard countless stories of workers who were sleeping in their cars. Read More
Coronavirus Cases Increase At 2 East Bay Nursing Homes, 7th Resident Dies; Owners Previously Cited
HAYWARD -- New cases were reported in a coronavirus outbreak at a Hayward nursing home as well as another resident death Thursday afternoon where owners have been cited for previous violations. Alameda County Public Health Department spokesman Neetu Balram said Gateway Care and Rehabilitation Center has 65 confirmed COVID-19 cases, six more from the day before. A seventh resident has died from the illness, said Balram. Among those cases, 40 are residents and 25 are staff members. Meanwhile, East Bay Post-Acute Healthcare Center in Castro Valley now has 31 coronavirus infections, 20 of them staff members and 11 residents. Read More
New Outbreak Reported At San Jose Nursing Home; 27 People Infected
SAN JOSE -- Officials at a San Jose nursing home on Thursday confirmed a new COVID-19 outbreak that has infected 27 people, including half of the facility's long-term residents. The Ridge Post-Acute nursing home -- formerly known as the Mt. Pleasant Nursing Center -- is located at 1355 Clayton Road in San Jose. The facility is reporting a total of 27 cases of COVID-19 infecting 17 residents and 10 employees, according to facility administrator Christin Marcheschi. Read More
Activists Call For Release Of Santa Rita Inmates Due To COVID-19
DUBLIN -- A coalition of activist groups on Thursday called on Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern to release all inmates at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin because they say their health is at risk due to the new coronavirus pandemic. Speaking at a virtual news conference organized by the Santa Rita Jail Solidarity coalition, Amber Akemi Piatt of the Oakland-based nonprofit Human Impact Partners said, "Release everyone, especially those most vulnerable to getting infected." Read More
Berkeley Reports City's First COVID-19 Death
BERKELEY -- Health Officer with the City of Berkeley Dr. Lisa Hernandez announced Thursday that a resident in their 40s has died of the new coronavirus, the first such death the city has seen so far in the pandemic. Hernandez said the resident had underlying health problems, which she said data shows makes people more likely to suffer severe illness from COVID-19. Read More
Coronavirus And Jobs
Yelp Announces Layoffs, Furloughs Of More Than 2,000 Employees
SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco-based online review platform Yelp announced early Thursday morning that it will be laying off or furloughing at least 2,000 employees. The news was shared on the company's blog and via an internal email to employees from company co-founder and CEO Jeremy Stoppelman. "Today we will let 1,000 of our colleagues go and furlough approximately 1,100 more, while reducing hours for others," said Stoppelman in the email. "Your department leaders will be in touch this morning to discuss how this affects you individually, and letters with more details and FAQs will follow this afternoon." Read More
California Fast Food Workers Protest Over Safety, Pay During COVID-19 Pandemic
HAYWARD -- Restaurant workers took to picket lines Thursday in a statewide effort to draw attention to the lack of personal protective equipment -- or PPE -- at fast food establishments. About a half dozen cars honked horns and circled the McDonald's on Watkins Street in Hayward and, later, at the McDonald's on Stobridge Avenue in Castro Valley, Thursday morning. Similar protests took place at fast food establishments in Southern California. In order to observe social distancing guidelines, the protesters remained in their vehicles, with poster boards attached to the outside reading "Worker Health is Public Health", "No Gloves, No Masks, On Strike Now!" Read More
KPIX Better Together Jobs Section
'It's Very Difficult'; Coronavirus Pandemic Strains California EDD With Nearly 1 Million Unemployment Claims
SACRAMENTO -- The California Employment Development Department said Thursday it has now processed nearly one million claims since the beginning of March, and KPIX 5 is learning that a lot of people are still having problems getting through. Since we first ran a report about problems with the EDD earlier this week, we've received dozens of posts and emails from more frustrated Bay Area residents who are among the 925,000 people who have filed claims since March. Many are having different problems that they can't resolve. So we reached out to EDD to try to help them out. Read More
Shelter In Place
Coronavirus Clouds Forecast For San Francisco 49ers, Other South Bay Teams
SANTA CLARA -- San Francisco 49ers fans who were excited to see what the team would do this season following their near Super Bowl win, may have to wait until at least Thanksgiving. "Even if we do well here in Santa Clara, if you have a big event that attracts thousands of people from all over the nation, you run the risk of reinfecting everyone," said Santa Clara County Executive Officer Dr. Jeff Smith. He told the board of supervisors during its meeting Tuesday that he believed sporting events would be canceled through at least November, maybe even later. Read More
Bay Area Counties Get Tough on Stay-at-Home Order Evaders
SAN RAFAEL -- Easter weekend is just around the corner and the Bay Area is cracking down on shelter-at-home violators. Marin County is already enforcing tougher restrictions and issuing citations. The Marin County Sheriff's Office has been giving warning citations to people violating the stay-at home-order for about a week. Now, Marin County, in addition to other Bay Area counties, is limiting access to parks ahead of the holiday weekend. Read More
Alameda County Moves Some Homeless To Hotel Rooms In Oakland
OAKLAND -- Alameda County has housed some 70 homeless residents in local hotel rooms during the novel coronavirus pandemic with plans for hundreds more, a spokeswoman for the county said Thursday. The county is operating about 400 rooms at the Radisson Hotel and the Comfort Inn and Suites, both on Edes Avenue in Oakland, to house homeless residents during the pandemic, including those who have already tested positive for the virus or who may be at a higher risk of being exposed. Read More
Naked, Obscenity-Screaming Man Zoombombs Berkeley Virtual Classroom
BERKELEY -- Berkeley school officials have indefinitely suspended all online video classes after a naked man hacked into a Zoom instruction session, exposed himself to students and began to scream obscenities, officials said. In a letter sent to parents late Wednesday afternoon , Berkeley schools superintendent Brent Stephens said the incident took place on Tuesday. "Yesterday there was a serious violation of an online high school classroom meeting conducted in Zoom," Stephens wrote. Read More
West Contra Costa Schools Expand Free Meals To Dinner Time
RICHMOND -- Students within the West Contra Costa Unified School District taking part in the daily free meal program being provided during the coronavirus pandemic closure will now also get supper, according to district officials. The school district, which has been offering students 18 years of age and under meals since the closure began in mid-March, said their offering will include a supper meal during these difficult economic times. District officials said a federal waiver allows for the distribution of the dinner meal. Supper was initially offered on Tuesday. Read More
SF Supervisor: Close Great Highway To Cars During Coronavirus Shelter-In-Place
SAN FRANCISCO -- A San Francisco supervisor wants to keep cars off the Great Highway during the ongoing shelter-in-place order to encourage social distancing among joggers, walkers and cyclists. Supervisor Gordon Mar wants to block off vehicle traffic on the coastal roadway for the duration of the shelter-in-place order, which is scheduled to last until at least May 3rd. Read More
San Francisco Secures Housing For Domestic Violence Survivors During Coronavirus Shelter-In-Place
SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco Mayor London Breed and District Attorney Chesa Boudin announced Thursday they're teaming up with the city's largest landlord Veritas Investments to provide temporary housing for survivors of domestic violence during the novel coronavirus crisis. With the city's stay-at-home order now entering its fourth week, the mayor's office said for people experiencing domestic violence, their homes may not be the safest place. Through the collaboration between city officials, Veritas and domestic violence advocates, the city was able to secure 20 furnished apartments, with the possibility of more on the way. Read More
Couples Seek Tips On Getting Along During Quarantine
SAN FRANCISCO -- Bay Area residents are entering week four of the coroavirus shelter-in-place order. Some people call it "Quarantine" while others call it "The Lockdown." But what you call it may depend a lot on your attitude and who you're spending all that time with in close quarters. Sometimes all that closeness can create emotional close calls. Erica London is a licensed marriage family therapist. She says business is booming as she helps people with counseling sessions via Skype. The same issue keeps popping up. Read More
List: East Bay, San Jose Officials Enforce Park Closures Over Easter Weekend To Deter Crowds
OAKLAND -- The East Bay Regional Park District and Santa Clara County are temporarily closing parks and parking areas over the Easter weekend to prevent overcrowding and promote social distancing, officials said Thursday. Select parking lots and staging areas at many parks will be closed in the East Bay. Trails will remain open and will be accessible on "walk-in, bike-in" basis, the EBRPD Police department said. Read More
Coronavirus Lockdown Strands Peninsula Coffee Roaster in Peru
SAN CARLOS -- A Bay Area man who traveled to Peru last month has been stranded in that country while an anxious family and struggling business await his return. Max Gambirazio, who owns the San Carlos roastery business Papachay Peruvian Coffee, flew to his coffee bean plantation in Villa Rica, Peru, on March 13. Three days later, in an effort to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, Peru closed its borders and put strict curfews in place, leaving Gambirazio unable to return. Read More
Coronavirus And Courts
Grand Princess Passengers File Lawsuit, Claim Negligence In Coronavirus Response
SAN FRANCISCO -- Nine Northern Californians who were on the Grand Princess cruise to Hawaii sued Princess Cruise Lines and its parent company, Carnival Corp., in federal court in San Francisco Wednesday for alleged negligence in exposing them to the coronavirus. One of the plaintiffs, Pamela Guisti of San Mateo County, became infected with the virus and was treated in an intensive care unit, according to the lawsuit. The others, who live in San Francisco, San Mateo County and Stanislaus County, were "traumatized by the fear of developing COVID-19" while quarantined aboard the Grand Princess and then at Travis Air Force Base after they disembarked, the lawsuit says. Read More
Federal Judge Orders Four ICE Detainees Released In Wake Of Virus Threat
SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal judge has ordered immigration authorities to release four detainees from custody in California because their health conditions put them at risk of a fatal coronavirus infection. U.S. District Court Judge Maxine Chesney made the ruling Wednesday in a case presented by the ACLU. "I feel blessed that my husband is coming home," Shelly Clements, the wife of Charles Joseph, one of the plaintiffs ordered released, said in a press release. Read More
Activists Call For Release Of Santa Rita Inmates Due To COVID-19
DUBLIN (CBS SF) -- A coalition of activist groups on Thursday called on Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern to release all inmates at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin because they say their health is at risk due to the new coronavirus pandemic. Speaking at a virtual news conference organized by the Santa Rita Jail Solidarity coalition, Amber Akemi Piatt of the Oakland-based nonprofit Human Impact Partners said, "Release everyone, especially those most vulnerable to getting infected." James Burch of St. James Infirmary, a non-profit organization serving sex workers throughout the Bay Area, stopped short of calling for all inmates to be released but said, "The immediate focus should be on those most at risk of contracting COVID-19." Read More
Other Top Bay Area Coronvirus Headlines
Santa Clara Co. Looks At Vote-By-Mail November Election If Coronavirus Outbreak Persists
SAN JOSE -- About 900,000 eligible voters in Santa Clara County may be limited to vote-by-mail ballots in November if county leaders decide it's unsafe to open voting centers during the coronavirus pandemic. The Voter's Choice Act approved by the county Board of Supervisors last April ensured all residents received vote-by-mail ballots in the March 2020 primary. It also replaced traditional polling centers with Vote Centers, which may be unavailable during the presidential election. Read More
Walnut Creek's Lindsay Wildlife Raises Funds To Weather COVID-19
WALNUT CREEK -- It will be over the next few weeks and months that Dr. Carlos de la Rosa will see how much his community values the Lindsay Wildlife Experience. Less than a week into the nonprofit's "Love for Lindsay Wildlife" fundraising campaign, he's already heartened. Read More
