New Coronavirus Cases in Bay Area, Governor Orders Free Testing

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Health officials in Contra Costa County reported three new cases of the coronavirus today, including two involving passengers from the Grand Princess Mexican cruise that returned to San Francisco on February 21st.

Already health officials in Sonoma County have identified two local residents who are presumed to be positive for the coronavirus. They were also passengers on the Mexican Riviera Cruise operated by Princess. They are currently being treated in isolation rooms at local hospitals.

Meantime, Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered health insurers to waive all co-pays and other costs and provide free coronavirus testing to approximately 24 million Californians if they become ill and need to be tested. The order covers commercial and Medical plans across the state.

The order comes one day after the state’s first coronavirus death was reported and the state declared a state of emergency due to the spread of the virus. The declaration may free up state funds to reimburse local governments who are responding to coronavirus cases and gearing up for new cases that may come.

There has been worry that some people with coronavirus symptoms would delay or forgo treatment due to the cost of a doctor or emergency room visit. The governor’s order is designed to reduce that risk.

As all of this is happening, the Grand Princess cruise ship at the center of the suspected outbreak continues to sit off the coast near San Francisco. Since the Mexican cruise, that ship has traveled to Hawaii and back on another cruise. Samples taken from 45 passengers yesterday are being tested for evidence of a coronavirus outbreak on board. Governor Newsom has said the ship will not be allowed back in port until it’s determined if additional passengers have contracted the virus.

This is the same ship from which more than 2 thousand passengers disembarked in San Francisco after a cruise to Mexico in late February. It was later determined that many of those passengers…about half of which were Californians, had been exposed to the virus. The state’s first coronavirus death this week was a passenger on that ship, as are the two Sonoma County residents now being treated in isolation at hospitals.