San Diego Reports Record Number Of New COVID-19 Cases, Added To State Watchlist

San Diego County Health officials reported a record 584 new cases of coronavirus thursday. With 5 additional deaths reported, the region’s total is 377. More on that to come. ###### Among national civil unrest against police brutality, local students took to the streets on Thursday, calling on San Diego Unified to remove police from schools. One of the protest organizers was incoming Mira Mesa High School Senior Jazlyn (Jazz-Lynn) Bass. She said students would be better served by redirecting resources for police to school counselors and hiring more diverse teachers. SCHOOLPROTEST 2A (0:08): Just something that's going to benefit us, make us feel calm at school, school is supposed to be our home away from home, but honestly most of us are stressed on campus. The current budget for the district's police department is $9 million dollars. ###### With wildfire season approaching, Cal fire and the local red cross are revising their evacuation plans due to the pandemic. The revised plans include using hotels and motels as possible evacuation shelters. So far the Red Cross has identified nearly 100 lodging businesses across the county that could allow their rooms used to shelter evacuees. ############### Unemployment in San Diego is down to about 14%, according to a report from the San Diego Association of Governments released yesterday. That’s down from a record of 25% in May. ##### The Guided-Missile Destroyer USS Fitzgerald is back home in San Diego. It arrived yesterday after more than two years away for repairs due to a collision in 2017 that killed many sailors. ###### I’m Anica Colbert, filling in for Kinsee Morlan. It’s Friday, July 3rd. Happy holiday weekend eve. This is San Diego News Matters from KPBS News. Stay with me for more of the local news you need. A record number of new COVID-19 cases reported (THURSDAY) moves San Diego County closer to state-ordered restrictions. Some businesses are expected to close operations by Monday. KPBS Health Reporter Tarryn Mento has our story. _____________________________________________ 584 more people tested positive for the virus. The previous one-day record was 498 and that was earlier this week. The county's elevated case rate had already triggered warnings from the state to mitigate the rise. Now local officials confirm the state is placing the county on a watch list. If the county's case rate doesn't decline and it remains on the list for three days, then on Monday.. the state will force some businesses to cease indoor operations. That includes restaurants, wineries and movie theaters. The county this week already ordered bars that don't serve food to close and placed a 10 p.m. curfew on restaurants that serve alcohol. ################# As you may have guessed, health officials are urging caution ahead of the July 4th weekend. Avoid crowds, wear masks, stay close to home… But..Will all the precautions be enough? KPBS reporter Matt Hoffman spoke to a representative of one of the county's largest hospital systems, who says some people who contracted the virus over the last holiday weekend are now starting to end up in the hospital. __________________________________ Dr. Christopher Longhurst, Associate Chief Medical Officer UCSD Health This last week has been pretty disturbing. We've certainly seen an increase in the number of hospitalized patients with COVID Dr. Christopher Longhurst of UC San Diego health says an increase in hospitalizations follows weeks of increased testing results.. 00:01:06:05 So our increase in hospitalizations looks likely to be related to memorial day weekend. That was around the time of a lot of reopening, a lot of community acquired case,s and they are now being hospitalized with increasing illness Nat pop fireworks So our hope is that this weekend for the 4th of july people will wear masks stay safe and distanced we don't want another surge occurring in two weeks Other hospital systems like Kaiser, Sharp and Scripps health say they too are seeing a rise in COVId-related hospitalizations. Matt Hoffman, KPBS News. ########### In Sacramento, Governor Gavin Newsom announced thursday the state is launching a media campaign urging everyone to wear a mask. Soon you’ll start to see public service announcements everywhere from broadcast to billboards and social media. Newsome said he hopes it drives home a simple truth that’s already been proven. THUR COVID 2A :13 "The countries that have worn masks that have had universal mask policies in place at the beginning of this pandemic have seen a substantial reduction and mitigation of the spread of COVID 19." The campaign is scheduled to run through the end of the year. ################### As we’ve heard repeatedly, Coronaviruses cases are rising at alarming rates in communities of color. There’s many reasons given -- among them - lack of access to health care, crowded living conditions, underlying health conditions. But there’s another possible reason as well -- chronic stress from racial discrimination. KPBS science and technology reporter Shalina Chatlani has this story. She brings us this report…. In her City Heights apartment on recent Monday, Fatima Ahmed drops a traditional Somalian doughnut - mandazi - into a pot of boiling oil. .... As communities of color continue to be hit the hardest by the pandemic, scientists say racism is a key medical issue that has to be factored into the public health response. Shalina Chatlani, KPBS news. That was KPBS’ Science and Technology Reporter, Shalina Chatlani John Lewis is a 17-term congressman with deep roots in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. A new documentary “John Lewis: Good Trouble” looks at his life and career. KPBS’ Film Critic Beth Accomando has this review... ====================== John Lewis marched with Martin Luther King, he was one of the original Freedom Riders, and he was the youngest speaker at the 1963 March on Washington. Throughout his life and career he has led by example. CLIP My philosophy is very simple, when you see something that is not right, that is not just, say something, do something, get in trouble, good trouble. The new documentary John Lewis: Good Trouble is a celebration of his life and work. It also puts current issues of race into a larger context to show how the things Lewis fought for and the advances he helped achieve especially in regards to voting rights are coming under attack again. The film is an inspiring reminder that the battle for freedom and justice in an ongoing one that we all need to partake in. Beth Accomando, KPBS News. “John Lewis: Good Trouble” opens virtually at Digital Gym Cinema this weekend. San Diego News Matters is a daily morning news podcast powered by all of the reporters, editors and producers in the KPBS Newsroom. You can also find us on Twitter @ Kpbs news, or to find our podcast producer, Kinsee Morlan, she’s @ Kinsee. I’m @AnicaColbert. And as always you can find more KPBS podcasts, like Only Here or Cinema Junkie, on our website at KPBS dot org slash podcasts, or wherever it is you get your podcasts.