SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego County's COVID-19 numbers shows more Latinos are testing positive.
According to the latest census data, the Hispanic or Latino community makes up 34 percent of San Diego’s population. County data shows they represent nearly 50 percent of our COVID-19 cases. Community leaders say this is disturbing but not surprising.
Nancy Maldonado, the CEO of the Chicano Federation of San Diego County, believes there are a number of reasons why more Latinos are catching the virus. She says many have pre-existing medical conditions and many are essential employees.
Maldonado says, “they don’t have the luxury to shelter in place they have to continue working.”
County numbers show out of the more than 4,300 coronavirus cases, Latinos make up 1,900 of that. And Maldonado adds she’s seen the effects of that through her work with the Chicano Federation.
She says, “initially a lot of the concerns were about food and essential items that’s shifted to how they’re going to pay rent and unemployment. And we need to support our communities financially that’s the major concern.”
Maldonado adds she’s hopeful as the county navigates through this pandemic that solutions are found to the problems that have always been there.
“These issues of unemployment, food insecurities, there are issues that have always been there it’s more wide spread and magnified. This is our call to pay attention and do something about them,” says Maldonado.