The Kern County Public Health Department confirmed Thursday 1,067 new cases of COVID-19 in Kern.

Things brings the total number of cases to 18,411. Health officials also confirmed four new COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the total to 139.

A new federal testing site, which opened Wednesday, launched Thursday at the Kern County Fairgrounds. County officials recommend individuals make an appointment online to be tested, however, drop in appointments are allowed to help those who do not have internet access.

Megan Person, the county’s chief communication officer, said there was a high volume of traffic at the site Wednesday. Individuals are expected to receive their results in three to five days because the site is working with a lab in another area, Person said. The goal is to test 60,000 people within the next 12 days. For more information, head to Kerncounty.com.

A mobile farmworker testing program launched Wednesday. Health officials began testing farmworkers in Delano Wednesday and conducting tests in Lamont and McFarland Thursday.

“We are grateful that additional testing is accessible for essential Kern County residents,” said Matt Constantine, the director of public health.

Kern’s Administrative Officer Ryan Alsop said the county has distributed $30 million to 800 local small businesses across 240 industries that applied for the Kern Recovers Forgivable Loan program.

All the funds allocated to this program have been spent; however, County officials are working to do more for small businesses, according to Alsop.

“That is a priority to us to expand that program further,” Alsop said.