COVID-19 updates: California reports record number of new cases in single day

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Sunday, December 13, 2020
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SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The COVID-19 pandemic is having a major impact across the world and also in cities across Northern California. The latest number of confirmed cases in the U.S. can be found at the CDC's 2019 Novel Coronavirus in the U.S. page. (The CDC updates the webpage on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.)

Join anchor Kristen Sze for ABC7's daily interactive newscast about the novel coronavirus outbreak in the Bay Area and other hot topics. You can check here to stream the show Monday-Friday at 3 p.m.

Here are the latest developments on the respiratory illness in the U.S.:

Dec. 12, 2020

8:05 p.m.
Bay Area hospitals prepare to receive first shipment of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine

The first doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 will soon be on the way to California and the Bay Area. An army of medical personnel is ready to take delivery of the long-awaited shots.

"It's a bright shining time, even though the weather is not great today," said Desi Kotis.

UCSF Chief Pharmacy executive Desi Kotis is excited for a special delivery of about a thousand doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, she's leading the distribution and says, "We hope to receive the vaccine Monday, we'll start vaccinating on Wednesday."

1 p.m.
UC Berkeley at Washington State football game canceled after confirmed COVID-19 case

UC Berkeley's football game Saturday against Washington State has been canceled because of COVID-19, the Pac-12 said in a tweet Saturday. Cal does not have the minimum number of scholarship athletes because of a confirmed COVID-19 case and other players needing to isolate. The game will be declared a no contest, Pac-12 said.

12:15 p.m.
California records record-breaking case numbers

The state reported 35,729 new cases of coronavirus and 225 people died on Friday. A total of 12,444 remain hospitalized in California and another 2,752 are in the ICU. The state's seven-day positivity rate is at 10.6 percent, while the 14-day rate is at 10.2 percent. The state has 1,521,432 cases of COVID-19 to date, the data shows. The Bay Area's ICU capacity is at 17.6 percent, as of Friday. The San Joaquin Valley region has no available ICU beds, according to the state.

10:45 a.m.
Vaccine rollout to U.S. states begins Monday, officials say

Federal officials expect coronavirus vaccines to be distributed to states on Monday, and in the Bay Area, a spokesperson with UCSF says vaccines are likely to be delivered Tuesday and administered Wednesday. The university is supposed to receive a total of 975 doses, which will go to first responders and health care workers.

UCSF has two "ultra-cold" freezers to hold the vaccine, up to 600,000 doses, the university told ABC7.

Dec. 11, 2020

6:45 p.m.
CA to receive 327,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine, Gov. Newsom says

The U.S. gave the greenlight to the first COVID-19 vaccine in the country Friday night. Health care workers and nursing home residents are likely to get the first doses in just a matter of days. Gov. Gavin Newsom said California is slated to receive 327,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

10:30 a.m.

Bay Area reports more than 3,200 new cases and nearly a dozen new deaths

Health officials say the Bay Area gained 3,284 new cases and 22 deaths. Santa Clara County had the highest gain with 1,038 cases and four deaths.

Alameda County had 581 new cases and seven deaths.

Solano County had 410 cases and one death

San Francisco had 307 cases and three deaths.

San Mateo County is up 292 new cases and two deaths.

Sonoma County is reporting 256 new cases.

Santa Cruz County has 119 additional cases and three deaths.

8:15 a.m.

Apple CEO says majority of teams won't be back until June

Apple CEO Tim Cook says the majority of teams won't be back in the office before next June. Cook has been publicly vocal about his desire to bring staff back -- saying there's no replacement for in-person collaboration. Because of current stay-at-home orders, Apple is giving employees in many regions extra paid day off on January 4.

6:30 a.m.

SF restaurant workers to protest stay-at-home order

San Francisco restaurant workers are planning to protest the current stay-at-home order today. They are calling on Governor Newsom to reopen outdoor dining and allow them to work. Organizers are also asking for more financial support for restaurant owners. The rally is expected to start at 4 p.m. at City Hall.

Dec. 10, 2020

4:20 p.m.
Sonoma Co. to enact stay-at-home order

Due to rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Sonoma County officials announced Thursday they will be joining six other Bay Area counties and the city of Berkeley in adopting the California Department of Public Health's stay-at-home order. It will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020.

3:30 p.m.
Mayor Breed gives COVID-19 vaccine distro update

Following an FDA panel's vote to recommend the Pfizer vaccine for widespread use in the U.S., San Francisco Mayor London Breed said the city will soon begin receiving its first 12,000 vaccine doses, which will go to frontline healthcare workers. "It will take many months before we have widespread access to vaccines but hope is on the way," she tweeted.

2:45 p.m.
Advisory panel endorses widespread use of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in US

A U.S. government advisory panel has endorsed Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, in a major step toward an epic vaccination campaign that could finally conquer the outbreak. Here's the full story.

12 p.m.
Contra Costa Co. fair canceled

The 2021 Contra Costa County Fair, scheduled for May 13-16 at the county Event Park (fairgrounds) in Antioch, has been canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, fair officials said.

10:25 a.m.

3,595 new COVID-19 cases, 15 more deaths in Bay Area

Bay Area health officials are reporting 3,595 new cases, 15 more deaths in region since yesterday. Santa Clara County had the largest increase with 1,685 cases and 3 deaths. Alameda County had the second most increase of 564 news cases and 1 death. Contra Costa County gained 303 cases and 3 deaths.

7:15 a.m.

Sonoma Co. opening free COVID-19 testing site

Sonoma County is opening a new free COVID-19 testing site. It will be located at Herzog Hall at the Petaluma Fairgrounds. The center will be able to provide 330 tests a day. Today, it will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., but starting tomorrow the hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Appointments can be made on Logistics Health Incorporated's COVID testing website.

Dec. 9, 2020

6:30 p.m.
US daily death toll highest since start of pandemic

3,054 COVID-19 deaths were reported Wednesday in the United States -- the most the country has ever reported in a single day -- as health care officials say their staff and facilities are struggling to support burgeoning numbers of patients. The number of COVID-19 patients in US hospitals Wednesday -- 100,226, according to the COVID Tracking Project -- also is the highest reported on a given day during the pandemic.

1:30 p.m.
31 ICU beds left in Santa Clara County

Three hospitals in Santa Clara County are now at capacity, officials said Wednesday afternoon. About 31 ICU beds are left in the entire county.

11:15 a.m.
10,000 new COVID-19 cases in Bay Area cases in 2 days

Bay Area health officers are reporting 10,000 new COVID-19 cases in the past two days, the fastest pace since the pandemic began. The previous record was 10,000 cases in four days.

9 a.m.
CA updates stay-at-home rules, allows playgrounds to stay open

California updated its guidelines to allow playgrounds to stay open as essential: "Playgrounds may remain open to facilitate physically distanced personal health and wellness through outdoor exercise." See the latest on the stay-at-home rules here.

6:45 a.m.

Santa Clara County supervisors expect to be briefed on the county's plan to distribute COVID-19 vaccines once they're available. The county's health and hospital committee will meet virtually at 2 p.m. County Public Health Officer Doctor Sara Cody, along with other health officials, will also attend the meeting.

Dec. 8, 2020

2:30 p.m.

SJ pastor faces up to $50K in fines for defying health orders

The senior pastor of Calvary Chapel in San Jose faces up to $50,000 in fines after he defied Santa Clara County health orders and held indoor services. In a court hearing Tuesday, a judge ruled that the pastor should be fined $1,500 for each violation. Lawyers representing the pastor say they will be appealing the judge's decision.

10:40 a.m.

1 CA county changes tiers as COVID-19 crisis worsens

Amador County was moved from the red to the purple tier Tuesday, leaving just one red and one orange county left in the state. The other 56 counties are in the purple tier or under a stay-at-home order.

9 a.m.

AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine around 70% effective, studies suggest

New results on a possible COVID-19 vaccine from Oxford University and AstraZeneca suggest it is safe and about 70% effective, but questions remain about how well it may help protect those over 55 - a key concern for a vaccine that health officials hope to rely on around the world because of its low cost, availability and ease of use.

8:30 a.m.

US sees deadliest COVID-19 week since April

The US is nearing 15 million total reported COVID-19 infections, and daily deaths are near a record levels. The country averaged about 2,237 daily coronavirus deaths across a week -- just below its highest-ever average of 2,241, set on April 24, Johns Hopkins University data show.

7:50 a.m.
Report: 10,000 restaurants expected to close in the next 3 weeks because of COVID-19

About 17% of America's restaurants have already permanently closed this year, with thousands more on the brink according to a new report. The National Restaurant Association is publicly pleading with Congress to pass new stimulus to help the industry that has been damaged by the pandemic. The group said Monday that 10,000 restaurants could close in the next three weeks, in addition to the 110,000 that have already shuttered in 2020.

6:22 a.m.

US regulators post positive review of Pfizer vaccine data

Documents released by U.S. regulators Tuesday confirmed that Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine was strongly protective against COVID-19 -- offering the world's first detailed look at the evidence behind the shots.

5:30 a.m.

Marin County closure begins at noon

Starting today at noon, Marin County will be under a self-imposed shutdown. The county is holding a virtual town hall for businesses tomorrow to answer any questions about the new restrictions.

Dec. 7, 2020

2:30 p.m.
50 empty ICU beds remain in Santa Clara County for 2M residents, officials say

Only 50 empty ICU beds remain in Santa Clara for its two million residents, county officials said in a press briefing Monday. On Sunday, 62 individuals were hospitalized with COVID-19, and county officials expect that number to hit 100 soon. Santa Clara County is preparing logistically to receive the Pfizer vaccine which needs to be stored in temperature of minus 70 degrees Celsius.

2 p.m.
24,735 new COVID-19 cases reported in CA

Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers from the state of California:

New cases: 24,735 (3rd highest total ever - 1,366,435 total)

7-day average: 21,924

14-day: 18,290

7-day positivity rate: 10.5%

14-day positivity rate: 8.4%

Deaths: 59 (19,935 total)

7-day average: 113

14-day average: 86

Hospitalizations: 10,070 (new record)/2,360 in ICU (new record)

12 p.m.
Yosemite National Park reduces hours, closes campgrounds amid new order

Yosemite National Park is adjusting its hours in response to California's latest stay-at-home order. Beginning Monday, the park is open from 8 am to 5 pm for day-use activities only. The park will be closed and locked after 5 pm. Some services and facilities are limited and lodging and campgrounds are closed. Get more details here.

10:45 a.m.
California to expand smartphone COVID-19 alert tool statewide

California is rolling out a voluntary smartphone tool to alert people if they spent time near someone who tests positive for the coronavirus as cases and hospitalizations soar throughout the state, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced. Get more details here.

10:30 a.m.
Bay Area sees increase of 7,994 cases, 24 deaths over weekend

The Bay Area saw a large increase of 7,994 COVID-19 cases and 24 deaths from Friday to Monday. Hospitalizations in California are up 72% in the past 14 days -- 10,070. The remaining ICU capacity in the Bay Area is 25.7%. Get the latest numbers here.

9:30 a.m.
'Vast majority' of California under stay-at-home order as ICU capacity reaches critical levels, Newsom says

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced in a press conference Monday morning that intensive care capacity reached critical levels in the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California. See more from his press conference here.

9 a.m.
SF health officer Tomas Aragon appointed as new CDPH director

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of Dr. Tomas Aragon, San Francisco's health officer, as the new director of the California Department of Public Health.

Aragon has been San Francisco's health officer since 2011 and will replace Sandra Shewry, who had been serving as the state Department of Public Health's interim director since the previous director Sonia Angell stepped down in August.

5:10 a.m.
New restrictions in effect in 4 Bay Area couhttps://abcotv.slack.com/archives/CECTPQFBPnties

Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Francisco and the City of Berkeley enacted stay-at-home orders last night. Marin County will join the order tomorrow. Napa, Sonoma, Solano, and San Mateo counties are following the state's guidelines and will enact the order once ICU capacity drops to 15%, right now capacity is at about 24% in the Bay Area.

Dec. 6, 2020

10 p.m.
3 Bay Area counties to enter lockdown

San Francisco, Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties will implement the new stay at home orders on Sunday night at 10 p.m. The new lockdown impacts restaurants, religious services, salons and more. Read more here.

12 p.m.
California reports more than 30,000 new cases on Saturday

California once again saw record breaking single-day COVID-19 case numbers, with 30,075 new cases on Saturday. The state now has a total of 1,341,700 cases of the virus. The seven-day positivity rate is more than 10 percent and 9,740 Californians remain hospitalized.

11:30 a.m.
Beloved horse trainer at Golden Gate Fields dies of COVID-19

A longtime horse trainer at Golden Gate Fields died from COVID-19 Saturday at the age of 86, the race track announced this weekend. Bob Hess Sr. trained at the East Bay-based racetrack for five decades. He was hospitalized in November with COVID-19. He was released from the hospital, but later readmitted when symptoms returned.

"Bob was a wonderful horseman who was always there for his fellow race tracker," Patrick Mackey, director of racing, said in a statement. "His stories were legendary. He was a wealth of knowledge and imparted that knowledge to many over the years. He was a great man and his presence here at Golden Gate Fields will be sorely missed."

Dec. 5, 2020

12 p.m.

California reports more than 25,000 cases in single day

Coronavirus cases in California reached new record-breaking heights on Friday with another 25,068 cases reported, bringing the state's total to more than 1.3 million, according to latest state data. The seven-day positivity rate has risen to 9.7%. A total of 209 people died of the virus on Friday, the second highest single-day total since July 31. More than 9,400 Californians are hospitalized and 2,182 are in the ICU.

11 a.m.

Self-administered COVID-19 testing available next week in San Jose

Santa Clara County residents will be able to self-administer a COVID-19 test beginning next week at a drop-in testing site at Emmanuel Baptist Church in San Jose.

The county says this method of testing has "proven simple and successful" in other communities.

Testing in the entire county is also expanding to seven days per week at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. For more information on testing in Santa Clara County, click here.

Dec. 4, 2020

3 Contra Costa Co. gyms fined for breaking COVID-19 rules

Contra Costa County is cracking down on businesses that violate COVID-19 rules. Our media partner the East Bay Times reports three gyms have been cited and fined in the past month. They include Diablo CrossFit in Pleasant Hill and two Fitness 19 locations in Danville and Concord. County inspectors say the gyms allowed people to exercise indoors - when it was against the rules.

Dec. 3, 2020

11 a.m.
Breed calls criticism after French Laundry dinner 'fair'

San Francisco Mayor London Breed responded to criticism from the San Francisco Chronicle Thursday morning after it surfaced that she attended a birthday dinner at French Laundry restaurant in Yountville, just one day after Gov. Gavin Newsom. The mayor said the criticism is "fair," saying she needs to hold herself to a higher standard.

"What I especially regret is that the urgency of our public health message in this moment has never been more dire and my actions have distracted from that," Breed said in a tweet.

9:15 a.m.

Stanford seeks volunteers for COVID-19 saliva test

Volunteers are needed to try a COVID-19 test that's intended to detect the virus in a person's saliva. Stanford researchers developed the test. They say it takes no more than 10 minutes to self-administer. Results are expected within 30 minutes. Researchers say the test has an accuracy rate similar to clinical tests performed in hospitals. The saliva test is expected to cost about $5.

6:15 a.m.

Muni faces budget deficit, layoffs

SFMTA could be forced to layoff 18 to 22 percent of Muni employees as it faces a projected $68 million budget deficit. Revenue has been devastated as people avoid public transit during the pandemic. Without more federal funding, officials say they would need to layoff up to 1,200 full-time employees.

Dec. 2, 2020

2:15 p.m.
City of Oakland suspends indoor recreation programs

Oakland just announced that it's suspending indoor recreation programs due to the rise of COVID-19 cases in the state. This will not impact outdoor youth programming, senior programs, homeless services and library sidewalk service.

2 p.m.
Santa Clara Co. reports COVID-19 cases at juvenile facilities

Santa Clara County officials reported that nine youth and four staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 at Juvenile Hall and William F. James Ranch facilities. These are the first positive cases in their juvenile facilities in the nine months since the pandemic began. On Nov. 28, a youth with symptoms that was being detained in James Ranch tested positive. On Nov. 30, a youth who was detained at Juvenile Hall also exhibited COVID-19 symptoms, was tested and confirmed positive. All youth who were in close contact with those that were positive were tested and are under a 14-day quarantine.

11 a.m.

Santa Clara Co. health officials give COVID-19 update

Santa Clara County says the surge in COVID-19 patients they are seeing is "gravely concerning" and that they may run out of hospital capacity in a little more than a week. ICU capacity in hospitals serving the Eastern and Southern parts of the county has filled to 93% -- those are the hardest hit areas. County officials are imploring residents to avoid gatherings, wear masks, and put off unnecessary travel. The county also said it has submitted its plan to the state about how to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine. The plan calls for the first doses to be directed towards frontline healthcare workers. A mandatory 14-day quarantine order went into effect over the weekend for people arriving to the county after travel.

9:15 a.m.

SF officials want teachers prioritized for vaccine

San Francisco officials want teachers to be prioritized after health care workers for receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. The Chronicle reports: The City's Board of Supervisors have proposed a resolution urging Governor Newsom and state health officials to allow teachers to be in the first round of vaccine distribution. They say teachers being vaccinated will allow schools to reopen as soon as possible. The Governor's office is finalizing its recommendations on who should receive the vaccine first.

6:30 a.m.

US reports over 180,000 new cases

There were 180,098 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in the United States on Tuesday, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University. It's the 29th straight day that the country has reported over 100,000 newly diagnosed infections. Tuesday's count is down from a peak of 205,557 new cases last Friday.

Dec. 1, 2020

2 p.m.
Third-straight day of record COVID-19 hospitalizations in CA

California is seeing its third-straight day of record COVID-19 related hospitalizations. See the latest numbers below:

New cases: 12,221 (1,225,189 total)

7-day average: 14,213

14-day average: 13,372

7-day positivity rate: 7% (highest in a long time)

14-day positivity rate: 6.5% (up .3% from yesterday!!!)

Deaths: 70 (19,211 total)

7-day average: 63

14-day average: 65

HOSPITALIZATIONS: 8,240 (new record)/1,890 in ICU

11:15 a.m.

2,668 new COVID-19 cases in Bay Area

Bay Area health officals are reporting 2,668 new COVID-19 cases in the Bay Area. Santa Clara County had the most with 793 new cases and Solano County was second with 612 cases.

7:15 a.m.

Santa Clara County issues fines for COVID-19 violations

Santa Clara County is working to make sure businesses follow COVID-19 safety guidelines. Enforcement teams just wrapped up a Black Friday crackdown. The county says teams visited more than 400 businesses and issued fines for more than $115,000. The top three violations were failure to submit or post a revised Social Distancing Protocol and failure to post a required sign about capacity.

Nov. 30, 2020

2:55 p.m.
CA reports record number of hospitalizations in 24 hours

The state records 7,787 current COVID-19 related hospitalizations and 1,812 in the ICU. 14,034 new infections were reported in a day and the 7 day average is 14,657 cases. The hospital count surpasses Sunday's record of 7,415 patients. Gov. Gavin Newsom says by mid-December, the state predicts the ICU beds in California will be at 112% capacity.

1p.m.
Newsom warns of new stay-at-home-order if COVID-19 cases continue to rise

Gov. Gavin Newsom said he's considering reinstating a stay-at-home order for most California counties as COVID-19 continues to surge just about everywhere. The state's biggest area of concern is a rise in hospitalizations, particularly in ICU beds. In most regions, ICU beds are about 75% full now but are projected to reach capacity by mid-December to early January if current trends hold.

12 p.m.
Santa Clara County's new travel mandate goes into effect, catches travelers off guard

Passengers arriving at Mineta San Jose Airport were surprised to learn about the new mandatory travel directive requiring travelers to self quarantine at home for 14 days due to the rise in COVID-19 cases across the county. The mandatory order went into effect 12:01 a.m. Monday morning and covers any travelers returning from a trip 150 miles outside of Santa Clara County's borders or father.

10:20 a.m.
San Francisco 49ers to play next 2 games in Arizona

The San Francisco 49ers will play the next two home games at the Arizona Cardinals' State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, after Santa Clara County issued a three-week ban on contact sports amid rise in hospitalizations. The 49ers announced Monday the team will host game 13 and 14 against the Buffalo Bills and Washington football team at State Farm Stadium in Arizona. The organization will continue to release any information regarding the team's future practice and game arrangements.

7:25 a.m.

Mill Valley School District to resume in-person classes

The Mill Valley School District is set to resume in-person classes today for the first time in nine months. The district is made up of five elementary schools and a middle school. Marin County is the only Bay Area County still in the state's red tier, schools in the purple tier have to get a waiver.

Nov. 29, 2020

6:20 p.m.
SF Observation Wheel temporarily closes

The SkyStar Observation Wheel at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park has temporarily ceased operations due to rising COVID-19 cases, park officials said. You can reschedule your tickets for a future date once operations resume.

1 p.m.
United Airlines has started shipping coronavirus vaccine, source says

United Airlines has begun shipping the first batches of the COVID-19 vaccine on charter flights, a source told ABC News. The Federal Aviation Administration had already given the OK for the first mass air shipment of a COVID-19 vaccine. The agency said it is also ensuring around-the-clock air traffic services in an effort to prioritize flights carrying vaccines and personnel.

12:30 p.m.
More than 7,000 hospitalized with COVID-19

A total of 7,415 people are hospitalized with COVID-19 in California as of Saturday -- a number that's more than tripled from a month ago. Of those hospitalized, 1,711 are in the ICU, according to the state health department. California reported another 15,614 cases of COVID-19 on Saturday and another 32 patients died. These newest numbers come as California approaches a statewide total of 1.2 million cases.

12 p.m.
San Francisco enters purple COVID-19 tier

San Francisco is now in the purple tier, the state's most restrictive coronavirus tier. This also means the county will be under California's limited stay-at-home order, or curfew, which is in effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. until Dec. 21.

The purple tier also prohibits operation at museums, aquariums, zoos, indoor movie theaters and indoor fitness centers. It also bars indoor gatherings at places of worship.

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