Milpitas is seeing a rapidly rising COVID-19 case count. According to Santa Clara County’s COVID-19 dashboard, the city has as of today seen 235 infections, only mere days after crossing the grim milestone of 200.
Also today, The Beat shared that the Milpitas Unified School District (MUSD) has indefinitely postponed its hybrid learning plans, whereby students would have had the option of combining in-school learning with distance learning. Now distance learning shall prevail until future notice.
In addition, the current disease spread has reached Milpitas’ Elmwood Correctional Facility, one of two Santa Clara County jails. According to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s dashboard, as of today 17 county inmates have tested positive for the virus, 16 of whom are housed in Elmwood’s M8B Unit.
Elmwood inmates are routinely tested for COVID-19 prior to receiving dental care. One such inmate was tested in the past two days, and when their results came back positive, the inmate’s dormmates were all tested, as well. That round of testing yielded 15 more positive results.
All visitations to the M8B Unit have been put on pause. All infected patients have been placed under quarantine in their own cells, under the supervision of medical personnel.
In the meantime, only four Elmwood inmates are presently allowed out of their cells at the same time. The M8B Unit has COVID-19 signage plastered on its walls, urging social distancing and mask-wearing among inmates and staff. Staff members are undergoing disease testing, as well.
The general public remains advised to shelter in place, practice social distancing, engage in mask-wearing, and regularly wash their hands.