SACRAMENTO – The California Department of Public Health today announced the most recent statistics on COVID-19. California now has 53 confirmed cases, and one of those patients has died, according to Placer County health officials.

The Public Health Department and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services have been actively and extensively planning around COVID-19 with our local public health and health care delivery systems.

Governor Gavin Newsom earlier today expressed his condolences to the loved ones of the person who died in Placer County.

“Jennifer and I extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones affected by this death in Placer County. The state is working with federal officials to follow up on contact tracing of individuals that may have been exposed to provide treatment and protect public health. 

 "This case demonstrates the need for continued local, state and federal partnership to identify and slow the spread of this virus. California is working around the clock to keep our communities safe, healthy and informed.”

COVID-19 in California by the Numbers (as of 10 a.m. Pacific Time):

53 – Positive cases

1 – Death

24 – Cases of positive tests related to federal repatriation flights

29 – Cases not related to repatriation flights

• 12 - Travel-related
• 10 - Person to person
• 4 - Community transmission
• 3 – Currently under investigation

9,400+ – number of people self-monitoring who returned to the U.S. through SFO or LAX

49 – Number of local health jurisdictions involved in self-monitoring

14 – Labs with test kits

How Can People Protect Themselves:

Every person has a role to play. So much of protecting yourself and your family comes down to common sense:

• Washing hands with soap and water.
• Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
• Staying away from work, school or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.
• Following guidance from public health officials.

What to Do if You Think You’re Sick:

• Call ahead: If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and may have had contact with a person with COVID-19 or recently traveled to countries with apparent community spread, call your health care provider or local public health department first before seeking medical care so that appropriate precautions can be taken.

California’s Response to COVID-19:

We have been actively and extensively planning with our local public health and health care delivery systems. Here are some of the things we are already doing:

• As in any public health event, the California Department of Public Health’s Medical and Health Coordination Center has been activated and is coordinating response efforts across the state and preparing for possible community transmission.

• California continues to prepare and respond in coordination with federal and local partners, hospitals and physicians.

• California activated the State Operations Center to coordinate response efforts across the state.

• Governor Gavin Newsom requested the Legislature make up to $20 million available for state government to respond to the spread of COVID-19.

• California made available some of its emergency planning reserves of 21 million N95 filtering facepiece masks for use in certain health care settings to ease shortages of personal protective equipment.

• The Public Health Department is providing information, guidance documents, and technical support to local health departments, health care facilities, providers, schools, universities, colleges, and childcare facilities across California.

• It is coordinating with federal authorities and local health departments that have implemented screening, monitoring and, in some cases quarantine of returning travelers.

• In coordination with the CDC, state and local health departments, we are actively responding to cases of COVID-19. 

• The Public Health Department is supporting hospitals and local public health laboratories for collection and shipment of specimens for testing at CDC for novel coronavirus.

• The California Department of Public Health’s state laboratory in Richmond and 13 other public health department laboratories now have tests for the virus that causes COVID-19.​​