City and county officials, including public health, emergency and law enforcement representatives will update the community this afternoon on how Del Norte is handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the topics that will likely be discussed is the concern that people from out of the area are visiting local beaches and other outdoor attractions, Crescent City Mayor Blake Inscore told the Wild Rivers Outpost on Monday.

The news conference will be streamed at 4 p.m. on the Del Norte County and Crescent City YouTube channels.

In a video address to the community, Inscore urged Del Norters to maintain social distancing, staying home except to obtain essential needs such as food, prescriptions and to see their medical providers. He also addressed reports circulating on Facebook and other social media outlets over the weekend regarding people coming into Del Norte County from other areas.

“We’ve seen what other coastal communities have done, especially on the Oregon coast and (we’ll) be discussing that today,” Inscore said in the video. “We are concerned, just as you are, with your safety and the safety of our community as a whole.”

Though he couldn’t say whether Del Norte County or Crescent City will follow the footsteps of many Oregon seaside communities that have asked visitors to leave, Inscore said “we at least need to talk about it.”

Inscore said it’s especially a discussion that should come from the Crescent City Police Department, Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office and possibly even the California Highway Patrol.

“We should be talking about it because people are concerned about it,” he told the Outpost.

In Del Norte County, 35 COVID-19 tests have been administered as of 11:20 a.m. Monday, according to the Public Health Branch. The results for 26 tests have returned negative and nine are pending, according to the Public Health Branch.

Statewide, there are a total of 1,733 positive COVID-19 cases and 27 deaths as of 2 p.m. Sunday, according to the California Department of Public Health.

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a stay-at-home order Thursday that covers the entire state and will be in place until further notice. Essential services that continue to be open include gas stations, pharmacies, grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, take-out and delivery restaurants, banks and laundromats.

Essential state and local government functions, including law enforcement, are also open.

Businesses that are closed include dine-in restaurants, bars and nightclubs, entertainment venues, gyms and fitness studios, convention centers, hair and nail salons, and public events and gatherings.

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