Santa Clara County’s Public Health Department announced Monday evening that three more residents have died of COVID-19, raising the virus’ local death toll to thirteen.
Also on March 23, officials announced that 19 more confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Santa Clara County. That brings the total number of confirmed cases here to 321.
“Because of limited testing capacity, the number of confirmed cases almost certainly represents a small fraction of the total number of persons with COVID-19 in the county,” reads a Monday press release from the county’s health department.
The aggregate number of deaths in Santa Clara County to date, with percentages rounded to the nearest point, as of 5pm March 22, are:
• Males 9 69%
• Females 4 31%
• Aged 0-40 0 0%
• Aged 41-50 1 8%
• Aged 51-60 2 15%
• Aged 61-70 4 31%
• Aged 71-80 2 15%
• Aged 81-90 4 31%
• Aged 90+ 0 0%
• Persons with preexisting conditions 8 62%
• Persons with no preexisting conditions 5 38%
Hed: Deputies, inmate test positive
The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office today also announced in separate statements today that three sheriff’s deputies and one inmate at the Main Jail in San Jose have tested positive for COVID-19.
Two March 23 press releases—one regarding the inmate and one about the three deputies—do not indicate the cases are directly related, and do not state how the patients contracted the virus.
A press release from the sheriff’s office sent at 2:27pm March 23 reads:
On Friday, March 20, 2020, the San Jose Police Department arrested and transported a 31-year-old male to the Main Jail in San Jose. During the booking process, the male reported feeling sick and advised that a family member had just returned from Europe a few days earlier. The male was immediately masked and taken to an isolation cell in the booking area. After the booking process was completed, the inmate was taken to the infirmary, isolated, and underwent the testing process for COVID-19. On Sunday, March 22, 2020, medical staff learned that the inmate was positive for COVID-19. The inmate remains quarantined and is being closely monitored by medical staff. The San Jose Police Department was notified of the possible exposure to the initial arresting officer(s). As a precaution, custody medical staff has been screening new arrestees outside the jail in the sally port area. Healthcare staff is asking the individuals if they have a dry cough, shortness of breath, fever, or exposure to anyone with COVID-19.
A 5pm press release from the sheriff’s office states:
The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office has three confirmed cases of COVID-19 amongst our staff. One deputy was assigned to a patrol division and two deputies were assigned to the Custody Bureau. Our Office was made aware of two positive test results on Sunday, March 22, 2020 and confirmed the third case on Monday, March 23, 2020.
Two deputies are self-quarantining at home and one deputy is in stable condition at a local area hospital. We are actively monitoring the situation by working closely with the Santa Clara County Public Health Department to mitigate further exposure.
We want to assure the public that our office remains dedicated to serving and protecting the community during these trying times. Furthermore, we are doing everything we can to protect our staff and other first responders battling this pandemic. We continue to ask everyone to comply with the county’s “Shelter in Place” order and do their part to keep our community safe.
