Coronavirus Pandemic: Alameda County Reports Second Coronavirus Death
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Alameda County health officials announced their second death from the coronavirus Tuesday raising the number of fatalities from the virus in the Bay Area to 21.
County officials also announced three new confirmed cases, increasing Alameda County total to 124 of those 112 were traced back to community spread.
With the three new deaths reported in Santa Clara on Tuesday, the death toll across the Bay Area grew to 21. Across the country, New Jersey has had 17 people died since yesterday from the virus, by far the state's biggest one-day death toll.
County health officials did not release any details about the second fatality. The announcement came a day after the county reported its first fatality.
Health officials said that Alameda patient was elderly with underlying conditions that placed them at greater risk of serious illness and was hospitalized. There was no history of travel nor known contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, the infection was believed to be from community-acquired transmission
The county trails Santa Clara County (321), San Mateo County (161) and San Francisco (152) as the hardest hit areas in the region.
Health officials said that most individuals with COVID-19 will experience mild disease. Severe respiratory illness and death is more common among adults who are 60 and over, and people with diabetes, heart disease, lung problems, cancer or other chronic health conditions.
People with mild symptoms or people who are not ill but think they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should not leave their home even for essential activities or work. They should monitor themselves for symptoms and ask others to assist with essential needs, if possible.