Here is a list of the major developments in the coronavirus epidemic facing San Diego County, updated at 9:20 p.m. on Friday.
• There are currently 9 presumptive positive cases of coronavirus disease in San Diego County. One of the 8 is a Marine at Miramar and another is a person under quarantine at the base. Across California there have been 247 cases and 5 deaths.
• Both San Diego and Poway districts announced schools in their districts will close beginning Monday until at least April 6. Palomar College is moving to online courses.
• The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego announced that daily and Sunday Masses will be canceled starting Monday to fight the coronavirus.
• There are 480 passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship currently quarantined at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
• The City of San Diego will close its libraries, pools and recreation centers beginning Monday and continuing through April 6. Parks will remain open.
• San Diego Gas & Electric said it will suspend service disconnections to help people struggling to pay their utility bill due to financial hardships stemming from the epidemic.
• SANDAG is closing its offices to the public from Monday through April 3, but its FasTrak call center remains open at (619) 661-7070.
• The San Diego Zoo and Safari Park will close to visitors from Monday through March 31.
• The USS Midway Museum will close beginning Monday, as will SeaWorld and the San Diego Maritime Museum.
• The Museum of Man and Museum of Photographic Arts have decided to remain open at this time.
• Sycuan Casino Resort will close its buffet beginning Saturday, and a number of restaurants beginning Monday. It is postponing all concerts and events through at least the end of March.
• Scripps Health launched a hotline at 888-261-8431 that connects patients to a team of nurses dedicated to screening people with symptoms associated with the new coronavirus.
• Urban Kitchen Group, which operates restaurants in Banker’s Hill, Kensington and Del Mar, said it is choosing to remain open and following recommendations provided by the CDC and public health officials.
• The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System is placing hand washing stations at all 53 trolley stations and scheduling additional cleaning crews.
• The 8th annual Bankers Hill Art & Craft Beer Festival scheduled for March 27 has been postponed.
• The Casbah music venue in Little Italy remains open, and staff are taking a “more-than-usually aggressive approach” to cleaning and sanitizing the venue.
If your organization has relevant news to add to this daily list, please send to news@timesofsandiego.com.
