10.4% Day-To-Day Increase In CA's COVID-19 ICU Hospitalizations; State Starts Housing COVID-Positive Homeless In Hotels

There have been 10,710 positive coronavirus tests so far across California, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in his daily coronavirus press conference, with 2,188 hospitalized and 901 in ICUs. The ICU number is up 10.4% since yesterday.

HOUSING COVID-19-POSITIVE HOMELESS

The state has acquired 6,887 hotel rooms so far and is working on getting 15,000 rooms as part of its coronavirus response program. Hotel rooms are being used to get homeless people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and those who are high-risk off the streets and out of shelters, using funding from FEMA, Newsom said.

The current housing is temporary, but they are also working on increasing permanent support for the homeless. Newsom also noted that they don't want to immediately fill the rooms, as they're looking to create some slack to allow room for homeless people as needed while the epidemic progresses.

Newsom noted one homeless death due to coronavirus, along with at least 14 positive COVID-19 tests among the homeless population across the state. That number is believed to be an undercount. There have been 1,305 trailers provided by FEMA to house the homeless.

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg expressed his thanks for the governor and the state's help addressing homelessness.

PREPARING FOR PEAK HOSPITAL CAPACITY

The state is continuing to work on acquiring additional personal protective equipment before the state hits peak hospital capacity. That peak is expected in the first few weeks of May, Newsom said. There have been 38 million N95 masks distributed so far in the state, Newsom said, with tens of millions more needed and hundreds of millions of other kinds of masks and protective equipment needed. A few hundred additional ventilators were found in the L.A. County area and are being retrofitted.

The governor also announced that nearly 75,000 people have signed up for the state's health care worker surge program so far.

WHAT'S NEXT

The governor plans to announce more specific details on COVID-19 testing protocols on Saturday. On Monday, he'll share details about the physical assets that the state has acquired. The state is continuing to prioritize both the homeless population and seniors, according to Newsom.

SOME STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT COVID-19

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