San Mateo County announces four new COVID-19 deaths
San Mateo County seal.
SAN MATEO COUNTY, Calif. - The San Mateo County Health Department announced four new deaths Wednesday due to the novel coronavirus, bringing the county's total to five.
The five deaths are the second-most of any county in the Bay Area, trailing only Santa Clara County's 16. Three of the new deaths were older adults and one was an adult, according to county health officials.
Local public health officials have confirmed a total of 27 coronavirus deaths around the Bay Area as of Wednesday morning. San Mateo County health officials also confirmed four new cases of the coronavirus, raising the county's total to 165.
"I believe the virus is growing at an exponential rate in our county," county Health Officer Scott Morrow said in a statement Monday. "Unless everyone does their part and follows the county's shelter-in-place order and the governor's Safer at Home order, we will be facing an Italy-type catastrophe very soon."
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors launched a fund Tuesday to support residents, non-profit organizations and small businesses that are particularly hard hit by the outbreak. The board provided $3 million in seed funding to launch the program and residents can donate at SMCStrong.org.