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Riverside County reports 159 new coronavirus cases, 14 deaths, 132 recoveries

Riverside University Health System - Public Health has released new coronavirus data from the past 24 hours.

Visit KESQ.com/Coronavirus for local coverage

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Riverside County increased by 159 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases from 6,184 to 6,343. A total of over 93,000 patients have been tested.

Total number of cases at the start of the last three weeks:

  • May 4 - 3,563
  • May 11 - 4,180
  • May 18 - 5,952

On Friday, the county revealed that the doubling rate for cases has increased to 24 days. This means it would take 24 days for the county to double in the number of cases.

The number of deaths increased by 14 , bringing the total from 270 to 284. Palm Desert reported 3 new deaths today.

Recoveries continue to increase in the past 24 hours we've gone from 3,884 to 4,016 recovered patients.

183 patients are currently hospitalized, with 67 of those patients in the ICU. According to the state's site, hospitalizations across the county have been in a downward trend.

County data from covid19.ca.gov

Cases in Coachella Valley cities & communities (As of 5/21/2020)
· Bermuda Dunes
Confirmed Cases: 6
Deaths: 0
· Cabazon
Confirmed Cases: 3
Deaths: 1
· Cathedral City
Confirmed Cases: 130
Deaths: 1
· Coachella
Confirmed Cases: 233
Deaths: 3
· Desert Edge
Confirmed Cases: 3
Deaths: 0
· Desert Hot Springs
Confirmed Cases: 67
Deaths: 0
· Desert Palms
Confirmed Cases: 8
Deaths: 0
· Garnet
Confirmed Cases: 14
Deaths: 0
· Indian Wells
Confirmed Cases: 13
Deaths: 0
· Indio
Confirmed Cases: 248
Deaths: 5
· La Quinta
Confirmed Cases: 104
Deaths: 9
· Mecca
Confirmed Cases: 45
Deaths: 3
· North Shore
Confirmed Cases: 16
Deaths: 0
· Oasis
Confirmed Cases: 37
Deaths: 0
· Palm Desert
Confirmed Cases: 153
Deaths: 18
· Palm Springs
Confirmed Cases: 123
Deaths: 9
· Rancho Mirage
Confirmed Cases: 33
Deaths: 3
· Sky Valley
Confirmed Cases: 2
Deaths: 0
· Thermal
Confirmed Cases: 16
Deaths: 0
· Thousand Palms
Confirmed Cases: 11
Deaths: 0
· County Jails
There are 201 cases in the County's jails, with 2 deaths, and 134 recoveries.

Symptoms

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Chills
  • Repeated shaking with chills
  • Muscle pain
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • New loss of taste or smell

You can call the Centers for Disease Control with any questions at 211 and 800–CDC –INFO (800 – 232 – 4636).

If you want to be seen at Eisenhower Health, call their 24-hour coronavirus hotline first at 760-837-8988 or 760-TEST988. Avoid the spread of this illness.

These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus, according to the CDC.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.

How to get tested

A total of 80,000 Riverside County residents have been tested so far, that's a little over 2% of the county's population.

You can get tested even if you do not have symptoms. Testing was expanded to include all residents on April 17.

There are testing site all over the valley now.

Click here to find the closest testing site to you

Riverside County operates testing sites in Indio, Blythe, Perris, Riverside, and Lake Elsinore.

If you want to get tested at one of the other five Riverside County testing sites, you will need to call 800-945-6171 to set up an appointment. Officials said the turnaround time for test results is typically 3-4 days.

A walk-up testing site opened on Monday at the Cathedral City library. The site will be open from Monday through Saturday from 8 am to 4 pm. Call for an appointment by calling (800) 945-6171.

There is a testing site open in Coachella, on 85365 Dillon Road. The Coachella site will be open Fridays and Saturdays. Call (833) 624-1097 to set-up a testing appointment.

The state also opened eight testing sites across Riverside County that could test 1,000 people every day.

The following locations will be open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. by appointment only:

  • Mecca Boys and Girls Club
    91391 66th Ave
    Mecca, Ca
    (County officials confirmed this location will open on Friday, May 8)
  • Moses Schaffer Community Center
    21565 Steele Peak
    Perris, CA 92570
  • Mead Valley Senior Center
    21091 Rider St., Suite 102
    Perris, CA 92570
  • Jurupa Valley Fleet Center 
    5293 Mission Boulevard
    Riverside, CA 92509
  • Nellie Weaver Hall
    3737 Crestview
    Norco, CA 92860

The following locations will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.:

  • Lozano Community Center
    12-800 West Arroyo
    Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240
    (County officials confirmed this location will open on Friday, May 8)
  • Noble Creek Community Center
    390 W. Oak Valley Parkway
    Beaumont, CA 92223
  • Valle Vista Community Center
    43935 E. Acacia Ave.
    Hemet, CA 92544

Appointments at these facilities can be made online by going to https://lhi.care/covidtesting or calling 888-634-1123.

Some Local Casinos Will Reopen on Friday

Five area casinos will reopen on Friday, May 22.

Agua Calientes casinos, Morongo Casino, Casino Morongo, Spotlight 29, and Tortoise Rock will all open their doors once on Friday.

More on Casinos Reopening

The Riverside County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution to reopen all tribal casinos.

Supervisors voiced their support for the casinos' reopening, with Supervisor Jeff Hewitt noting that he was impressed by the lengths the Morongo casinos were taking to prevent spread.

Supervisors Karen Spigel noted that the county had nothing to do with the plans to reopen, as the tribes are sovereign and the county has no jurisdiction over their procedures.

Governor Newsom relaxes reopening criteria

On Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced he was relaxing the criteria for additional businesses to reopen across the state.

Details: Gov. Newsom relaxes some criteria for reopening

Newsom, citing a trend of decreasing hospitalizations and ICU patients, said the state's stay-at-home order could be drastically modified in the next few weeks if the trends continue, even possibly allowing professional sporting events to resume without spectators by the first week in June.

Supervisor V. Manuel Perez expects Riverside County will qualify for faster phased reopening

"This is hopeful and positive news for local businesses in Riverside County, Southern California and across our great state. The Governor listened to the input received by our counties. Riverside County was proud to demonstrate our successes in protecting essential workers and vulnerable populations, being a leader in testing, expanding contact tracing, providing for surge capacity in our health care system, and identifying triggers for modifications. I believe it’s because we’re meeting these metrics and showing downward trends that the Governor’s office is working with us and assisting our counties in advancing the economy in a safe way while we fight this pandemic," writes Perez.

The Board of Supervisors sent a letter to the Governor last week to Governor Newsom notifying him of the county's readiness to reopen more businesses, citing that the county has the ability to "meet, exceed, or plan to achieve" six of the seven criteria for a county to accelerated through stage 2.

Read full letter: Riverside County notifies Gov. Newsom of readiness to reopen

Valley Cities Issue Face Covering Orders

Riverside County Supervisors revoked the county's health orders, including making face covering mandatory when going out in public. In response, most valley cities have issued their own orders requiring face coverings, some more lenient than others.

Cathedral CityCoachellaPalm SpringsDesert Hot SpringsPalm Desert and La Quinta have each passed their own orders requiring residents to wear face covering.

La Quinta only requires residents wear a face covering when inside grocery stores or pharmacies.

More Details: La Quinta votes to continue requiring face coverings and social distancing inside grocery and drug stores

Palm Desert's order is just like La Quinta's. The city's businesses are strongly encouraged to require face coverings and social distancing on their premises and to post notices conspicuously so that everyone entering a business knows its face covering policy.

Desert Hot Springs's order are required for everyone when in the presence of others. The city only recommends face covering when exercising outdoors but you must remain within six feet of others.

It is only not required for those with a health condition whose medical doctor has advised against wearing a face covering and can provide documentation or for children under the age of two.

Cathedral City's order is very similar to Desert Hot Springs, including when it comes to the exceptions.

More Details: Cathedral City enacts emergency orders for mandatory face coverings, social distancing & STR’s

Coachella requires face covering in all public settings, unless you are in your car or exercising with six feet of distance. It also mandates businesses to post a sign letting customers and workers know that face masks must be worn at all times. Businesses have been asked to refuse service to anyone not wearing a covering. 

More Details: Mayor of Coachella explains city's decision to continue requiring face coverings

Palm Springs issued several emergency orders, including mandatory face covering when out in public.

• Residents are to stay at home, unless they are engaging in essential activities, such as working at an essential business or going to the grocery store or drug store.
• Residents are generally encouraged to engage in outdoor recreational activities, such as going for walks or taking their dogs for walks.
• Residents must wear face coverings in public settings, unless they are able to maintain social distancing.
• While in public settings, residents are required to engage in social distancing with those who are not members of their household.
• Only "essential" businesses (as defined by the State) and "lower risk workplaces" (such as retail with curbside pickup, manufacturing and logistics) can remain open.
• Golf, tennis and pickleball have been allowed to re-open, subject to strict safety protocols.
• Private community swimming pools within HOAs and apartments will not be closed by the City, as long as appropriate social distancing, (which does not apply to members of the same household) and sanitation practices are maintained.
• A strong recommendation is made that all persons who are 65 years or older, have a chronic underlying health condition, or have a compromised immune system self-quarantine themselves at home.
• All stores designated as "essential" that provide in-person shopping will be required to implement worker and customer safety measures that were previously required only of grocery and drug stores

Article Topic Follows: Coronavirus

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