First COVID-19 outbreak death in Kern County

DELANO REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTERALSO KNOWN AS ADVENTIST HEALTHDELANO..

WHERE SUSIEGARCIA PASSED AWAY ACCORDING TOFAMILY MEMBERS..

AND SHE BECAUSETHE FIRST DEATH OF COVID-19HERE IN KERN COUNTY.THIS IS A TRAGIC LOSS FOR OURCITY THIS ISSOMEONE'S MOM, SISTER, AUNT ANDFIRST OF ALL A COMMUNITY MEMBEROF OUR CITY.DELANO COUNCIL MEMBER JOEAGUIRRE SPEAKING INPUBLIC FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUTSUSIE GARCIA THE FIRST COVID-19DEATH HERE IN KERN COUNTYACCORDING TO FAMILY MEMBERS SHEDIED ON FRIDAY AT THEDELANO REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTERAROUND 3AM..23ABC REACHED OUT TO DELANOREGIONAL MEDICAL CENTERARE WERE TOLD BY COMMUNICATIONSPECIALIST JAMIEHERNANDEZ THAT ALL COVID-19QUESTIONS ARE BEING HANDLEDBY THE KERN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTHDEPARTMENT.THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS NOTRELEASING ANY BACKGROUNDINFORMATION ABOUT THE DEATHINCLUDING THE PATIENTS NAME.AND DESPITE THIS FIRST DEATHSURROUNDING COVID-19 HEALTHOFFICIALS SAY THEY DON'T PLAN TOCHANGE HOW THEY INFORM THEPUBLIC ABOUT POSTIVE CASES, NORTHE HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PUBLIC.WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TOFOLLOWTHE GUIDELINES THAT WE HAVE.AGAIN I SAY WITH FLU AND VALLEYFEVER AND WE'REGOING TO STAY ON THAT PATH.

BUTWE ARE GOING TO MAKE OUR PUBLICAWARE OFANYTHING THEY NEED TO KNOW TOPROTECT THEM."COUNCILMEMBER AGUIRRE SAYS WITHDELANO BEING THESECOND LARGEST CITY IN KERNCOUNTY HE WANTS TOENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO STEP UPAND CONTINUE TOISOLATE TO PREVENT THE SPREAD FOCOVID-19.WE HAVE BEEN TREADING VERYCAREFULLY NOT TO INFRINGE ONPEOPLES PERSONAL RIGHTS I THINKWE ARE BEYONDTHAT NOW.

I THINK WE ARE GOINGTO REEVALUATE THOSE IN THE NEXTWEEK ORTWO AND MAYBE HAVE TOUNFORTUNATELY IMPOSE SOME NEWRULES TO HELPENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS,FAMILY MEMBERS TELL 23ABC SHELEAVES BEHIND HER CHILDREN.

HERLOVEDONES GO ON TO SAY THAT LOSINGGARCIA HAS BEEN DIFFICULT ANDTHEY WANT THECOMMUNITY TO TAKE THIS OUTBREAKSERIOUSLY.

IN DELANO..

LEZLAGOODEN 23ABC NEWS CONNECTINGYOU.AND -- THE NUMBER OF NOVELCORONAVIRUS