SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA – The latest developments in the region related to the novel coronavirus, also called COVID-19, as of Sunday evening include:
Federal District Judge Vince Chhabria ordered the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to test all detainees and personnel at the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center at Bakersfield for COVID-19, after a lawsuit against ICE was filed April 20 by the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, the ACLU Foundations of Northern California and Southern California and various law firms and legal groups.
As a result of that lawsuit, two-thirds of the population at Mesa Verde was released. As of Saturday, of the 104 detainees at the facility, at least 54 have tested positive for the virus.
“This is exactly why we have fought so hard to keep people free from custody. People who continue to be held in congregated areas such as prisons and detention centers in California are at serious risk of contracting this devastating disease, as are their communities. “, said Mano Raju, the San Francisco Public Defender.
Judge Vince Chhabria called the “conscious indifference” of ICE and private company GEO Group, Inc. who manages the facility. “There is no question that this outbreak could have been prevented,” Chhabria said.
Chhabria’s order also indicated that the approximately 140 staff members at Mesa Verde will also be checked immediately, starting with their next shift and then weekly. Documents submitted in the case showed that ICE deliberately did not test staff for months to prevent immigration.
The University of California at San Francisco, United in Health, Oakland Frontline Healers and a group of Black advocacy organizations will hold a mass COVID-19 coronavirus testing event for Black residents in East Bay next weekend.
The event, which will take place at Eastmont Town Center on August 22 and 23, is intended to provide free testing of coronavirus, personal protective equipment and food to some 2,000 Black residents.
The UCSF diagnostic lab, adjacent to the Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub in Mission Bay, will process the test results in two to three days, according to the university. The lab has also provided free coronavirus diagnostic tests for counties in the state.
UCSF said the two-day event would help address the disproportionate number of Black people who have tested positive since the pandemic began.
UCSF will also partner with Black Community organizations in the Bay Area to provide follow-up care to those who test positive for the coronavirus.
Officials with UCSF, United in Health, Oakland Frontline Healers and the university’s allied organizations will hold a news conference on Monday, August 17 to call on residents to attend the test event.
The news conference will be held Monday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday at Eastmont Town Center Upper Lot, 7200 Bancroft Ave. in Oakland.
Statewide, as of Sunday, August 16, there are 621,562 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 11,224 deaths. That is up from 613,689 cases and 11,147 deaths on Saturday.
As of Sunday at 8 p.m., officials have confirmed the following number of cases in the greater Bay Area region:
- Alameda County: 15,123 cases, 219 deaths (14,909 cases, 219 deaths on Saturday, total Berkeley Health Department data)
- Contra Costa County: 11,228 cases, 157 deaths (11,013 cases, 156 deaths on Saturday)
- Marin County: 5,710 cases, 82 deaths Saturday (no updated information available, total includes San Quentin State Prison)
- Monterey County: 6,461 cases, 46 deaths (6,057 cases, 46 deaths Saturday)
- Napa County: 1,206 cases, 11 deaths Friday (no updated information available)
- San Francisco County: 8,292 cases, 69 deaths (8,157 cases, 69 deaths on Saturday)
- San Mateo County: 6,952 cases, 126 deaths (not updated Saturday)
- Santa Clara County: 14,429 deaths, 209 deaths (14,207 cases, 209 deaths on Saturday)
- Santa Cruz County: 1,454 cases, 6 deaths (1,418 cases, 6 deaths on Saturday)
- Solano County: 4,596 cases, 41 deaths per Friday (no updated information available)
- Sonoma County: 4,293 cases, 54 deaths (4,157 cases, 51 deaths on Saturday)
