Starting Thursday, Napa County is on track to again shut down dine-in restaurants, bars, wine tasting rooms and other businesses amid a sharp increase in coronavirus cases.
In a statement shortly before 5 p.m. Monday, the county announced the impending return of restrictions, which would take effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. Dine-in eateries, tasting rooms, movie theaters, museums, card rooms and indoor entertainment venues would have to remain closed at least through July 30.
Also required to close would be brewpubs, breweries, pubs and bars, for both indoor and outdoor service. Restaurants and other businesses would be allowed to maintain outdoor operations.
Napa County reported 60 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total since March to 436 cases, including four deaths. This is the largest number of cases since the county began releasing daily updates, besting a tally of 40 cases on June 29.
Last week, the county said the surge in cases since June 26 was largely due to an outbreak at a farmworker center, household spread and spread in other non-household settings, including work places.
The typical case last week was a Hispanic male aged 42, but the range of ages varied widely, the county said.
The number of people hospitalized went from eight to 15.
Of the 60 new cases, 35 were in the city of Napa (242 cases total), 14 in American Canyon (73 cases), three living between St. Helena and Calistoga (39 cases), one in St. Helena (39 cases) and one in Calistoga (36 cases).
Statewide, California reports 265,180 cases and 6,374 deaths.
Tests have been given to 22,287 people in Napa County, with 21,798 tests coming back negative. Results are pending on 53 people.
The county said that 57% of positive cases since the first report in March are Hispanics, with non-Hispanic whites comprising 18% of cases. Males comprise 55% of cases.
Fifty-two percent of cases are people ages 18 to 49, 25% ages 50 to 64, 17% under age 18 and 9% older than 64.
Additional Napa County coronavirus demographics can be found online at countyofnapa.org/coronavirus. To see how the county is measuring up under other criteria, including hospital capacity, go to: https://bit.ly/3ixWgDo
Napa County is encouraging residents to be tested for the coronavirus, particularly anyone at risk of exposure out in the community.
Testing is now available to all county residents over age 18, but appointments are required.
To complete a screening and schedule a test, visit projectbaseline.com/study/covid-19.
Editor’s Note: Because of the health implications of the COVID-19 virus, this article is being made available free to subscribers and non-subscribers alike. If you’d like to join us in supporting the mission of local journalism, please visit napavalleyregister.com/members/join/
You can reach City Editor Kevin Courtney at kcourtney@napanews.com or at 707-256-2217.
