SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California is sending strike teams and tens of millions of dollars into eight Central Valley counties struggling to contain the coronavirus. The eight counties Gov. Gavin Newsom referenced Monday are Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Tulare and Stanislaus counties. Newsom said all have test positivity rates between roughly 11% and 18%. That's above the state's goal of 8%. The focus on the Central Valley comes after Newsom pledged to do more to help California Latinos fight the virus. Latinos are the majority of workers in many essential jobs in those heavily agricultural counties.

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FILE - California Gov. Gavin Newsom gestures during an update June 26, 2020, in Rancho Cordova, Calif., on the coronavirus pandemic. Newsom said Monday, July 27, 2020, the state will spend $52 million to tackle the outbreak in eight Central Valley counties. He said the money will go toward helping improving isolation, quarantine, and testing policies and to helping health care workers. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, Pool, File)

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