Positive COVID-19 tests trend down in SD County

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - San Diego County health officials reported 114 new COVID-19 cases and eight deaths from the illness today, as Sycuan Casino reopened in limited fashion, becoming the second of five tribal casinos in the county to open its doors this week.

The county data increases the total coronavirus case numbers to 6,140 and the number of deaths to 230. The ages of those whose deaths were reported Wednesday ranged from 61 to 99, all of whom had underlying health issues, County Public Health Officer Dr. Wilma Wooten said.

An estimated 4,089 people have recovered from COVID-19, while a cumulative 1,155 have been hospitalized and 355 have spent some time in intensive care.

The county recorded 4,802 COVID-19 tests Wednesday, a single-day high, for 115,837 cumulative tests. The 114 positive cases represent just 2% of all tests reported Wednesday, well below the region's 14-day average of 3.6% positive.

As the positive case numbers continue to trend downward, Viejas Casino and Resort reopened on Monday. Jamul Casino will reopen on Thursday and Valley View Casino & Hotel and Harrah's Resort Southern California will reopen Friday.

Bingo and poker will remain closed as part of the phased reopening. Restaurants will operate for limited hours and gaming areas will require appropriate spacing between players and staff.

Tables games will be limited to a maximum of three players per table and every other slot machine will be turned off to further encourage space between players.

Patrons and staff will also be required to undergo temperature checks, wear masks at all times and practice physical distancing.

All five casinos are on tribal land, meaning they are not subject to the same state regulations that have limited most business operations in California.

Supervisor Nathan Fletcher announced Wednesday that in-person funerals, both indoors and outdoors, will be allowed again, provided every person in attendance wears a face covering and different household units maintain six feet of distancing from each other.

Additionally, he said that while houses of worship can open for funerals, they are a one-time situation. Any regularly scheduled religious services are still prohibited in person by the California's reopening guidelines.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday night, asking to accelerate the reopening of certain facilities and activities shut down due to the pandemic.

The vote was 4-1, with Supervisor Nathan Fletcher opposed, to send a formal letter to Newsom in support of a pilot program to further open such facilities as youth and sports clubs, salons, fitness clubs and outdoor religious services.

Fletcher said he believes the county is ready to responsibly reopen businesses in "Stage 2" consistent with the guidelines Newsom outlined Monday.

However, "given we have not even opened 'Stage 2' businesses, I do not believe it is time to call on the state to allow the immediate opening of 'Stage 3' entities including higher-risk activities like gatherings and businesses with high exposure, intensity and duration of risk,'' Fletcher said Tuesday.

Newsom has said he believes the county will be ready to move into

"Stage 3" at the beginning of June, Fletcher added.

Supervisor Jim Desmond called the pilot plan "a step in the right direction."

Desmond said if the county doesn't allow for more facilities to reopen, the health crisis will cause unemployment to keep increasing.

Helen Robbins-Meyer, the county's chief executive officer, said Tuesday that the county meets Stage 2 acceleration criteria. According to the county, that criteria includes:

-- Less than 5% of daily COVID-19 hospitalizations over a seven-day

period or no more than 20 COVID hospitalizations on any single day in the past

14 days;

-- Fewer than 25 new cases per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days

or less than 8% testing positive in the past seven days;

-- A capacity to be able to test 1.5 per every 1,000 residents and at

least 15 staff per 100,000 county population trained and available for contact

tracing, and;

-- Hospital capacity for a possible surge of 35% of hospitalizations

due to COVID-19 cases in addition to providing usual care for other patients.

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer said Tuesday the county's decision was welcome news.

"We have a real opportunity to demonstrate that leadership and open businesses such as hair salons," Faulconer said. "Small businesses are ready to get back on their feet."