SUNNYVALE, Calif. (KRON) — In the South Bay, Santa Clara County has 23 new COVID-19 cases bringing the total number to 114.
The county’s public health department issued an order to cancel gatherings of more than 100 people and restrict gatherings of more than 35 people.
Small businesses in Sunnyvale say sales are down because of widespread fear of coronavirus.
“Usually the front of the restaurant is packed but as you can see not today,” Gumba’s Italian restaurant owner Max Valle said.
Shops and restaurants are open on historic Murphy Avenue but it’s not the expected bustling Sunday afternoon.
“Usually I see a ton of people out in this time and today I absolutely didn’t see any,” one man said. “So it’s kind of surprising to see absolutely no one out.”
The coronavirus is slowing down business.
Santa Clara County has the most coronavirus cases in the Bay Area thus far.
Big events have been cancelled and postponed.
County schools will be closed for three weeks in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.
For Mauricio Dominguez, a barista at Bean Scene Cafe, daily routines are not what it used to be.
“We’re closing early almost every other day now,” he said. “Everybody comes in they’re like panicking. They’re like wow you guys are still open and we’re like yes it’s all right, you know.”
At Gumba’s Italian restaurant, it has been slow. Owner Max Valle has been relying on takeout.
“That side of the business is actually keeping us alive, giving us some oxygen,” Valle said.
And it’s exactly what Governor Gavin Newsom is calling on restaurants to do — reduce occupancy by half, operating with curbside food and delivery as a pragmatic response to the virus.
Valle and his staff are wearing gloves and placed a sanitation station is by the exit.
He agrees with the governor.
“Whatever directive we get from the state or from the county we will follow along with that,” Valle said.
There are more than 100 coronavirus cases in Santa Clara County and with testing that still needs to be done, that number is expected to rise.
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