On a day when California became the state with the most coronavirus infections in the US, Governor Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that officials are redoubling efforts to secure protective equipment and are preparing to expand the number of hospital beds available to handle an increase in patients.
With more than 409,000 cumulative cases of COVID-19 in the state, California on Wednesday surpassed the number reported in New York by approximately 700 cases, according to data provided by Johns Hopkins University.
After leading the nation in the number of coronavirus cases, New York has seen declines in infections, deaths, and hospitalizations as numbers have increased in California.
“We are a state the size of 21 states combined, so it is not surprising now that as we begin to reopen key sectors of our economy and people continue to mix … that our numbers would start to rise, altogether the highest in the nation, “Newsom said, calling it” a sober reminder of why we are taking things as seriously as we are. “
On Wednesday, Newsom said 12,807 people tested positive the day before, “the highest number reported in our state,” and that 115 Californians infected with the virus died in the past 24 hours.
“It is just another test point of how deadly this disease remains,” Newsom said.
At a press conference in a Sacramento warehouse that houses personal protective equipment, Newsom said he is extending a contract with the Chinese firm BYD to buy an additional 300 million surgical masks and an additional 120 million N95 face masks to protect workers. medical and others, while also looking for deals from companies that may provide protective gear in the coming months. The so-called bridge contract is worth $ 315 million.
The governor said the move is necessary because California is shipping 46 million masks per month and has an inventory of 111 million N95 masks.
“We were able to turn the curve many months ago in the state of California,” Newsom said. “That gave us time to buy and acquire the kind of equipment you see behind me and come up with our plans.”
As a sign of the increase, Newsom announced Wednesday that Butte County has become the 35th county on a state watch list of jurisdictions with high rates of infection and hospitalization. Those counties on the list for three days must close many businesses where people gather, including restaurant and movie theaters.
Newsom’s comments come immediately after a new and urgent warning from the state organization representing hospital administrators that there are only about 5,000 hospital beds available across the state, and there is likely to be a shortage in some of the most affected regions.
“They are looking for non-traditional places in hospitals” to establish additional beds, said Carmela Coyle, president and CEO of the California Hospital Association.
While the state has established additional locations to handle an increase of 20,000 additional coronavirus patients, Coyle said Wednesday that current transmission rates also pose risks for nurses with critical care training.
The hospital association is asking the Newsom administration to seek additional federal aid to provide staff and to reconsider existing relationships between nurses and patients as conditions worsen.
“We are seeing a much faster increase race than before,” said Coyle.
Newsom said the state has a strategy “to address the possibility of increased hospital utilization, the need to develop alternative care sites outside of our hospital system to help isolate and quarantine people.”
The governor acknowledged that he continues to hear complaints from medical workers that they do not receive enough medical masks and other protective equipment despite the increase in deliveries by the state.
She said an advocate for nurses recently told her that many receive only two to three masks per week, although medical standards require more.
“That is unacceptable,” Newsom said. “We still hear those stories and we have to address that problem.”
With federal unemployment benefit subsidies due this month, Newsom also said He hopes that more federal aid will come to residents who have lost their jobs, noting that there is “increasing recognition in Washington, DC, that we are walking toward the edge of a cliff.” She said she can use executive powers to extend protections against evictions and extend sick leave to Californians.
Newsom issued a stay-at-home order on March 19 that forced many companies to close and initially kept a check on the number of new infections caused by the spread of the community.
When the infection curve seemed to have flattened out, the governor, faced with political pressure to reopen the economy, began to reverse restrictions in early May, allowing Californians inside more stores and eating inside restaurants.
But coronavirus cases began to escalate, and on July 1 the governor ordered the return of restrictions on indoor activities for most of the state, including banning visits to restaurants, bars, wineries, entertainment centers, cinemas, zoos and games rooms. .
The stricter rules apply to counties facing an increase in cases and hospitalizations, including Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura, Orange, and San Bernardino.
Additionally, Newsom announced last week that schools will remain closed for classroom instruction in 32 counties where the spread of the coronavirus remains a significant public health risk, forcing districts to prepare for online learning for your students.
Times staff writer John Myers contributed to the report.
