In leading San Luis Obispo County in overall cases as the North County region, Paso Robles and Atascadero share a combined total of 46 percent of the total cases reported — 51 of 110. On Saturday, April 11, the County updated the total count by adding three new positive cases. After a quiet three days to begin last week, SLO County has reported 15 total new cases is five days.

On Saturday, none of the new cases belonged to Paso Robles, Atascadero, or Templeton.

Currently, 79 percent of all SLO County cases are considered recovered and only two are currently hospitalized — both in the ICU. To answer the three new confirmed cases, four cases were deemed recovered.

Globally, the confirmed case count skyrockets toward the two-million mark, and the number of recovered cases account for more than 20 percent of that total — more than 400,000 and counting.

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Locally, the recovery rate is tracking well, with 87 of 110 total cases, as of Saturday.

National measures are tightening, with more emphasis from health experts to embrace face coverings, and President Trump declared a major disaster in all 50 states today.

Questions surround COVID-19 regarding mode of transmission, whether immunity is built in recovered patients, and how long a person still sheds the virus after they are deemed recovered.

California Men’s Colony reports a single confirmed case

On Friday, April 10, CMC Lieutenant and Public Information Officer John Hill sent an email to several media outlets objecting to reporting that CMC had any positive test results returned for COVID-19. On Saturday, CMC confirmed to The Paso Robles Press that it had a positive test returned, today.

“I can confirm one inmate at the California Men’s Colony tested positive for the COVID-19 virus today,” Hill relayed by email. “I would like to expand on that, but I have to refer all media inquiries to our Press Secretary.”

As the investigation is currently underway, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Press Secretary Dana Simas did not expand in detail, but did restate the positive case was received by the CMC on Saturday.

“We received confirmation of the positive COVID-19 results today,” Simas wrote in an email to The Paso Robles Press, “CDCR and CCHCS are working closely with the county department of public health to conduct a contact investigation to determine what, if any, exposure may have occurred to staff or the incarcerated population.”

Emergency government funding is on the way

It was reported that the IRS sent out the first wave of stimulus checks on Saturday, as part of the $2.2 trillion CARES Act economic package.

On Twitter, the IRS posted that “#IRS deposited the first Economic Impact Payments into taxpayers’ bank accounts today. We know many people are anxious to get their payments; we’ll continue issuing them as fast as we can.”

Funds will be direct deposited for those who filed tax returns for 2018 or 2019 and authorized direct deposit. Information about the timeliness of funding for those who have not filed returns with direct deposit was not made available.

It was also reported on Saturday that 725,000 applications for Paycheck Protection Program have been approved and some have reported seeing funding already, while the overall timeline for disbursement is unknown.

Governor Newsom Announces Release of $100 Million to Support Child Care Services for Essential Workers and Vulnerable Populations

Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the release of $100 million to support child care services, and to support child care providers who are stepping up to serve essential infrastructure workers and vulnerable populations and their children during this critical time. 

“Many of California’s workers on the front lines of this pandemic are parents, and as a father, I know the importance of making sure our children are kept healthy and safe. This funding is very important to make sure that working parents that are part of the essential workforce in our state, as well as those that are part of vulnerable populations, have the child care resources they need,” said Governor Newsom.

Of the funding, $50 million will go to the California Department of Education to be used to pay for up to 20,000 limited-term additional state-subsidized slots for child care. The other $50 million will go to the Department to ensure child care centers, facilities and family provider homes are safe and clean for the children and families they are serving by reimbursing them for the purchase of gloves, face coverings, cleaning supplies, and other labor related to cleaning in accordance with federal and state public health and safety guidelines.

Governor Newsom recently signed executive orders to ensure prioritization of children of essential infrastructure workers, as well as those in vulnerable populations, including children at risk of violence or neglect, and those with disabilities, in accessing child care services during the state’s COVID-19 response. Under the executive orders, the Department of Education and the Department of Social Services developed and have issued guidance on the prioritization for access to child care services. Essential infrastructure workers include health care workers, emergency response personnel, law enforcement, and grocery workers.

The Governor sent a letter to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee announcing his intent to spend $100 million from the funding appropriated in SB 89, emergency legislation signed into law last month. The legislation created an additional mechanism to provide up to $1 billion General Fund for expenditures related to the COVID-19 emergency.

Learn more about the state’s ongoing COVID-19 response efforts here. Visit covid19.ca.gov for critical steps Californians can take to stay healthy, and resources available to those impacted by the outbreak.