Here is a list of the major developments in the coronavirus epidemic facing San Diego County, updated at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 7.
• There have been 1,454 cases of coronavirus disease and 31 deaths among San Diego County residents as of Tuesday afternoon.
• Across California there have been 15,865 cases and 374 deaths as of Tuesday afternoon.
• Public health officials reported 12 more deaths from coronavirus disease as the number of cases in San Diego County grew by 50 to 1,454.
• Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned, one day after his controversial address to the crew of the USS Theodore Roosevelt was leaked.
• San Diego County’s chief administrative officer said that once the crisis is over, the county could face financial challenges worse than the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 or the Great Recession in 2008.
• Gov. Gavin Newsom said California has already secured nearly 5,000 new hospital beds and is on track to reach 50,000 in coming weeks to treat an expected surge in COVID-19 patients.
• Two San Diego County supervisors called on the county’s tax collector to offer property tax relief to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic before a Friday payment deadline.
• The San Diego Blood Bank put out a plea for recovered COVID-19 patients to donate plasma that may help patients fighting the virus.
• UC San Diego Health radiologists and other physicians are now using artificial intelligence to rapidly analyze lung imaging to detect for pneumonia, the major killer of COVID-19 patients.
• City and county law enforcement will begin citing essential businesses that have not complied with the requirement to post social-distancing and sanitization guidelines near their entrances.
• The San Diego Housing Commission has extended the inclement weather shelter program through April 15. Father Joe’s shelter will have 95 beds available and PATH shelter will have 20.
• Clothing Construction and Textile students at San Diego Continuing Education are volunteering with Project Mask to help combat critical protective gear shortages due to COVID-19.
• The Poway City Council at its night meeting will consider a moratorium on commercial evictions and a loan program to help small businesses affected by the coronavirus.
• Jennifer Barnes, CEO of Optima Office in San Diego, writes in a column that the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will be lethal to some businesses yet create growth opportunities for others.
• On Sunday, over 100,000 people are expected to gather online for the Rock Church’s Easter services with music from the church’s worship team and a message from Senior Pastor Miles McPherson.
• San Diego-based People’s Alliance for Justice wrote Gov. Gavin Newsom asking for a moratorium on foster care emancipations over the next 180 days.
• Basketball Hall of Famer and San Diego native Bill Walton is teaming up with community leaders and Events.com to host Bike for Humanity, a virtual ride from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday, April 25. All net proceeds benefit pandemic victims along with healthcare professionals.
• Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sycuan is working with Sharp Grossmont Hospital to offer a nightly $25 “heroes rate” for healthcare workers to stay at the resort. The golf course is closed, but a block of 24 hotel rooms was reopened Sunday for this purpose.
• The San Diego History Center has created a COVID-19 initiative called History Happening Now! Share Your Story to engage the community to help them document these unprecedented times, in real time. Community stories and contributions will become part of the San Diego History Center’s permanent collection.
• The Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park offers Community Voices, a series of free online workshops on how to create short plays inspired by personal experiences — a beginner-level course with no experience required.
• Local nonprofit Second Chance is transitioning its urban gardens to provide much-needed boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables to community members who cannot afford to purchase produce at this time.
• If you’re bored with the usual shelter-in-place activities, and the clouds clear, you can view the biggest “supermoon” on 2020 this evening.
If your organization has relevant news to add to this daily list, please send to news@timesofsandiego.com.