Coronavirus In California: What To Know Monday, July 27

Nick Garber
Updated ·4 min read

CALIFORNIA — The past month has brought repeated news of disturbing trends in California's struggle with the coronavirus, from surging cases and hospitalizations to a new shutdown on indoor activities and the revelation that most public schools won't reopen for in-person classes in the fall.

So state officials and ordinary residents alike are hoping that the last few days of July bring some much-needed respite from the doom and gloom, and there are signs that the curve may be flattening, state officials said Monday.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that while COVID-19 cases continue to grow, the percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive has held steady at 7.5 percent over the past two weeks, after an alarming spike during the month of June. Hospitalizations and intensive care admissions, too, have slowed in the last two weeks.

"We’re seeing a growth rate, but we’re seeing a decline in the rate of growth," Newsom said at a news conference. "It is not where we need to be, but it's progress indeed."

Central Valley outbreak grows worse

While the statewide situation may have stabilized, some parts of California are seeing alarming spikes in COVID-19. Newsom spoke via livestream Monday from the city of Stockton in San Joaquin County, among the areas with a growing virus outbreak.

Newsom said the state will give $52 million to eight Central Valley counties to help them contain the outbreaks there, where positivity rates range from 10.7 to 17.7 percent.

The funding, which comes primarily from a federal grant, will help those counties increase testing and hire more health workers. The state will also deploy "strike teams" composed of state emergency workers and local community organizations to assist in the effort, Newsom said.

Don't miss local and statewide news about coronavirus developments in California. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

FDA recalls 75 hand sanitizers

The Food and Drug Administration is advising Americans to carefully read the labels on their hand sanitizer bottles, announcing a recall on 75 brands that contain methanol, which can cause serious health complications.

The agency said anyone who used hand sanitizers containing methanol, which is also known as wood alcohol, should immediately seek medical treatment to reverse the toxic effects of methanol poisoning.

Substantial methanol exposure can result in "nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system or death," the FDA said on its website.

There were more than 4,238,500 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United States and 146,968 deaths as of Monday, according to Johns Hopkins University. At least 8,454 of those deaths were in California. The U.S. has the most confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths in the world.

Who has been diagnosed with coronavirus in California?

Total number of cases (Johns Hopkins University): 452,883 as of Monday

Total deaths reported (Johns Hopkins University): 8,454 as of Monday

Case breakdown by age, per the California Department of Health (totals may be outdated):

  • Age 0-17: 40,407 cases

  • Age 18-49: 274,037 cases

  • Age 50-64: 87,494 cases

  • Age 65 and older: 51,190 cases

  • Unknown/Missing: 531 cases

Gender of confirmed positive cases:

  • Female: 226,906 cases

  • Male: 224,248 cases

  • Unknown/Missing: 2,505 cases

The latest live updates from across California are as follows:

Monday, 4:28 p.m.: AMC Theatres Delaying Summer Reopening In Santa Monica

The delay was prompted by a spike in coronavirus cases and changes in the expected release dates of new films.

Monday, 3:45 p.m.: NASA Announces New Launch Date For James Webb Space Telescope

NASA announced a new 2021 launch date for James Webb Space Telescope, citing the pandemic and technical delays.

Monday, 3:21 p.m.: Riverside County COVID-19 Antibody Study: 100K+ Infections

Preliminary data from a COVID-19 antibody testing study show there have been between 118,000 and 175,400 infections countywide.

Monday, 1:33 p.m.: Latest Santa Cruz Case Count; County On Monitoring List

Hair salons and barbershops, indoor fitness centers and indoor worship services could be closing soon, assuming current trends continue.

Monday, 10:41 a.m.: Video: Outdoor, Socially-Distanced Dance Party At Venice Beach

There was a socially-distanced, outdoor dance party on the boardwalk at Venice Beach this weekend.

Monday, 10:33 a.m.: Racist ‘Karen’ Rant At South Bay Post Office Captured On Video

A white woman is shown using racial slurs as she berates an Asian American postal worker in Los Altos. The incident occurred Thursday.

Monday, 9:59 a.m.: Santa Monica: Temperature Checks, Distanced Dining (Photos)

Santa Monica has a new scene at night, including outdoor socially-distanced dining options.

Monday, 9:55 a.m.: Should I Quit My Job? California Parents Grapple With Education In A Pandemic

California parents are investigating their options for how they can maintain their child’s education while still holding down a job.

Monday, 9:01 a.m.: Annual Livermore Street Fest Canceled Amid Coronavirus Concerns

This would have been the 29th annual festival, the downtown association said.

This article originally appeared on the Across California Patch