The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Santa Clara County jumped to 20 Thursday as county officials announced six new cases.
Three of the new cases are men and three are women, Acting EOC Director James Williams said. Four of them are contacts with other known cases. Those four cases are at home. Two others are hospitalized.
Of the 20 confirmed coronavirus cases in the county, four were travel related, nine had contact with other known cases and seven were possibly associated with community spread, according to Williams. Those seven cases had no known travel history to impacted regions and had no known direct contact with other known cases.
One of the 20 patients has fully recovered. "Many" of the others are at home with "very mild or no symptoms of illness at all," Williams said.
The rise in cases has prompted the county to issue new guidance measures that businesses are encouraged to take to minimize close contact with large numbers of people.
The county Public Health Department advises that employers should suspend nonessential employee travel, minimize large in-person meetings and conferences, consider telecommuting options for appropriate employees, and not require a doctor's note for employees that are sick since doctor's offices may be busy and unable to immediately provide documentation.
The county is recommending postponing or canceling large gatherings in general, but is not recommending closing schools unless specific facts and circumstances warrant it.
"We are making these recommendations to protect the most vulnerable members of our community from the virus, and slow its spread," county public health officer Dr. Sara Cody said in a statement. "We are continuously monitoring this evolving situation, and will issue new guidance if and when that is warranted."
