Family confirms Susie Garcia is the first Kern county resident to die of COVID-19

Family confirms Susie Garcia is the first Kern county resident to die of COVID-19

BUT KERN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTHWILL NOT PROVIDE DETAILS INTOTHE PATIENTS AGE, CITY OFRESIDENCE AND MORE.23ABC'S TORI COOPER IS LIVE FROMPUBLIC HEALTH AND SHEHAS DETAILS ON WHAT INFORMATIONPUBLIC HEALTH ISRELEASING TONIGHT TORI?YEA,FAMILY MEMBERS CONFIRMED WITH23ABC THAT 48 YEAR OLD SUSIGARCIA IS THE COVID 19 PATIENTWHO PASSED AWAY.

THEY SAYTHAT SHE PASSED AWAY EARLY THISMORNING AROUND 3 AM.

PUBLICHEALTH EXPRESSED THEIRCONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILYPUBLICLY BUT THEY ARE IS STILLBEING VERY TIGHT LIPED ABOUT THESUSI'S BACKGROUND TONIGHTNOW DESPITE THE FACT THAT THECALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OFPUBLIC HEALTH SAYS THEY CANLEGALLY TELL US WHATEVER THEYWANT, WHEN I ASKED PUBLIC HEALTHIF THEY ARE CONSIDERINGRELEASING INFORMATION ABOUT THEPATIENTS AGE ORANY OTHER INFORMATION THAT MAYEASE CONCERNS FORRESIDENT CORSO SAID THEY AREAPPROACHING THIS PANDEMICTHE SAME WAY THAT THEY APPROACHOTHER DISEASES--"WE ARE GOING TO DO WHAT WE DOWITH ALLOF THE OTHER DISEASES AND WE AREGOING TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THEGUIDELINES THAT WE HAVE.

AGAIN ISAY WITH FLU AND VALLEY FEVERAND WE'REGOING TO STAY ON THAT PATH.

BUTWE ARE GOING TO MAKE OUR PUBLICAWARE OFANYTHING THEY NEED TO KNOW TOPROTECT THEM."AS YOU JUST HEARD THERE--CORSONCONTINUES TOREITERATE THAT PUBLIC HEALTH ISFOLLOWING STATE GUIDELINES BYNOT RELEASING THE PATIENTS AGE,CITY OF RESIDENCE ORHEALTH BACKGROUND----B UT WEREACHED OUT TO THE STATEDEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH WHOSAYS QUOTE, "THE RELEASE OFINFORMATION IS AT THE DISCRETIONOF THE COUNTY"PUBLIC HEALTH SAYS BACKGROUNDINFORMATIONSURROUNDING THE PATIENT WHO DIEDIS IRRELEVANTBECAUSE IT DOESN'T CHANGE THEIRRECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU TO TAKE DURING THISPANDEMIC--WHICH INCLUDES SOCIALDISTANCING, WASHING YOUR HANDSAND STAYING HOME.BUT PUBLIC HEALTH DID CONFIRMSOME INFORMATIONWITH US TONIGHT--THEY SAY THAT 7OF THE PEOPLE WHOHAVE TESTED POSITIVE WEREISOLATED AT A LOCAL KERNCOUNTY HOSPITAL BUT AGAIN THEYWOULD NOT SAY WHICH HOSPITAL.AS OF NOW..

40 KERN COUNTYRESIDENTS, PLUS THE ONE NONRESIDENT HAVE TESTED POSITIVEFOR CORONAVIRUS .AT THIS TIME 765 PEOPLE HAVETESTED NEGATIVE AND MORE THAN900 TESTS ARE STILL PENDING.FOR NOW IN EAST BAKERSFIELD...MEANWHILE TODAY -- KERN COUNTYSHERIFF DONNY