SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) — Santa Clara County has the most COVID-19 cases in the Bay Area and the county announced Friday 20 deaths from the virus.

County officials are now reminding people to keep their distance to stop the spread of the coronavirus with a familiar message, but no less important.

“We believe the only tool that we have that is really working is social distancing,” Cindy Chavez said.

“The fewer number of contacts you can have with other people in the community on a consistent basis the more likely you will not get infected,” Dr. Jeff Smith said.

Santa Clara County nears its second week under a self isolation mandate.

The county hit the hardest with COVID-19 cases and deaths in the Bay Area.

“We’ve lost 20 members of our community to this virus and I want to just say to all the families and friends who’ve lost someone and one of the hundreds of people who are in our hospitals, how sorry we are and that the whole community is pulling for you,” Chavez said.

Different agencies took turns giving updates.

Sheriff Laurie Smith confirms five deputies contracted the virus.

“I’ve talked to each and every one of those deputies,” Smith said. “One has just been released from the hospital.”

The focus is keeping staff safe so they can continue to serve the public.

“We have set up additional units for instance a decontamination unit within the sheriff’s office where if a member of public safety believes that they have come in contact with someone with the virus, we a trailer for showers and all kinds of decontamination,” Smith said.

Officials want to remind people to keep their distance to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

But going outside to get fresh air is allowed.

Santa Clara County parks are open for the time being but there are some basic rules people need to follow.

“By going solo or with family members that they know are safe and unaffected to be with,” Dave Cortese said.

There are different rules and restrictions for city parks, but county parks’ restroom and garbage collection will be limited.

District Supervisor Dave Cortese had this reminder for the upcoming holiday.

“To let people know this is not a time to be convening an easter egg hunt, the easter convening or even the family convening out there in these parks,” Cortese said.

Back at the press conference, Dr. Jeff Smith, the county’s chief executive officer and a physician says testing for COVID-19 in the county is limited due CDC guidelines.

The best treatment people can do…

“Stay at home, stay away from other people as much as you can. do the social distancing because if you do it, we’ll have a result like China in the sense that it goes down dramatically,” Smith said.

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