Cactus Hugs has been tracking local stories about the coronavirus. For a rundown of all of our updates, click here. Stay safe, stay at a good social distance.
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As of 1 pm Thursday, Riverside County officials have confirmed:
- 3,218 people have tested positive for COVID-19.
- 100 people are confirmed to have died in the county from the coronavirus.
- There are currently 229 confirmed cases hospitalized, with 84 of them in the ICU.
- There have been 904 official recovered cases in the county.
As of 2 pm Thursday, San Bernardino County has confirmed 1,608 cases of COVID-19. There have been 77 deaths in San Bernardino County.
As of 11:30 pm Thursday, there have been 39,620 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in California. There have been 1,531 confirmed deaths in the state.
At least 50,000 people have died in the US from coronavirus https://t.co/GWEnfBTo0r pic.twitter.com/tM6RUKxUZs
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) April 24, 2020
The highest rate of coronavirus infections among Coachella Valley cities is in the east valley. Thermal has a rate that is nearly five times higher than the Coachella Valley as a whole. Mecca and Coachella have rates about double to the those to the entire desert.
The county’s most populated cities also have the most coronavirus cases. Riverside has seen 571 cases and 21 deaths, followed by Moreno Valley (332 cases and 12 deaths), and Corona (165 cases and five deaths). An associate professor at UC Riverside told the Press Enterprise that large, densely populated cities with public transportation can be hotbeds for COVID-19, but also noted places like Riverside, and the Hemet (156 cases, 6 deaths) / Perris (130 cases, 3 deaths) areas might have more cases because there are testing sites there, so more people are being tested there and therefore more cases are being identified.
The numbers are increasing everyday. They are not just numbers. They are people. The individual stories are heartbreaking:
TRAGIC ?A Maryland mother who contracted the coronavirus, gave birth to her baby and never got to meet him before she died. https://t.co/nu5OQTbhGM
— FOX 5 DC (@fox5dc) April 24, 2020
A 93-year-old woman who died of the coronavirus was a "firecracker" who loved fast cars, her daughter says https://t.co/zYki1BqMb6
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) April 24, 2020
Michael Neel, funeral director of of All Veterans Funeral and Cremation, looks at the casket of George Trefren, a 90-year-old Korean War veteran who died of coronavirus, in Denver, Colorado. More photos of the day: https://t.co/YHDCRhaDTp ? Rick Wilking pic.twitter.com/oaLOEBn9PS
— Reuters Pictures (@reuterspictures) April 24, 2020
While a surge might still come, health officials credit the public with following health orders for the current lack of strain on the local health care infrastructure. As of Monday night in Riverside County, hospitals were at 52% of their licensed bed capacity and 67% of their intensive care unit capacity. Just 33% of ventilators were in use. As of Sunday, San Bernardino County hospitals were at 23% of surge capacity, ICUs were at 33% of capacity and 37% of ventilators were in use.
UC Riverside medical students have delivered more than than 30,000 donated masks to Inland hospitals, including in the Coachella Valley.
Following President Trump’s riff on the possibility of injecting household disinfectants into the human body, Lysol and medical doctors warn that is a dangerous and possibly deadly and should definitely not be done under any circumstances:
Can Lysol disinfect human bodies? We asked a cleaning expert. Her advice was clear:
"Lysol is not meant to be used as a disinfectant for skin, and is dangerous if inhaled or ingested, or if it comes into contact with eyes and skin. Do not Lysol yourself." https://t.co/9pZTB772pJ
— Vox (@voxdotcom) April 24, 2020
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning about hydroxychloroquine outside of a hospital:
FDA ALERT warns of side effects of hydroxychloroquine, "including serious and potentially life-threatening heart rhythm problems that have been reported with their use for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19, for which they are not approved by the FDA" https://t.co/NpAbEiTNwO
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) April 24, 2020
The Palm Springs City Council also unanimously passed a resolution to declare a fiscal emergency Thursday night. A staff report shows the city could run a $22 million budget deficit in the current fiscal year and $26 million next year. The city also will not allow golf or pickleball for at least another two weeks while a health report is prepared on how best to resume those sports when resumed.
These businesses were opened with no additional protections or safeguards for workers. Playing golf or tennis is a luxury, not an essential activity. Unlike customers, workers don’t get to choose to risk being exposed; they have to work if open. Our health depends on everyone.
— Christy Gilbert Holstege (@christyholstege) April 24, 2020
Indian Canyons Golf Resort, which is on tribal land in the city of Palm Springs, will reopen Saturday. The tribe says they will follow Riverside County’s guidelines for the course.
Palm Springs Life has put together a list of public golf courses that are open.
As the coronavirus stay-at-home order enters its sixth week, the LA Times reports that officials are now facing its biggest test: a heat wave driving people to the beach.
The city of Indio is giving you a chance to win a water bottle:
*Contest alert* Snap some photos of those gorgeous Indio #wildflowers, post them on @instagram using #IndioinBloom The winner will be featured in this month's Indio Live, and will receive a "Sustainable Indio" stainless steel water bottle. You have until April 30th to submit. pic.twitter.com/d5SY46HESa
— City of Indio (@CityofIndio) April 24, 2020
StageCouch kicks off today. Here’s how to enjoy it.
Thinking about grabbing some takeout?
https://www.facebook.com/Rinconnorteno64/photos/a.512188278831694/3116108665106296/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/santafecoachella1/posts/1054515258253966?__xts__[0]=68.ARCczSriNFRtoH-xRF4tIIKP6TcQ84py51FDU4_AuycpTgiMF1i6Km1Lg86VUCPY2i8Uvje8p32_axRgcSIRdhTIXBwBei6Zs-eIfb5SqD8f9nVacUQtPbkyg572tGk1W7iryg1MRSmM4FP4T3puKyv4vLoVGRy7dFCJtLcEHyl4zoRAXS6Ciw0FPyNpvhYXba9W9tQXP-sqylIY-iifW4qDIoDvSVKcTh5EjUKltpfq9u4N4Wgpq74AJDbMtrWELu3lx3bz1tdQnB1WRowp06lESCoTfB7AIUljIVfR6gvfd4kfOOKvU-7n3lvInPCAXv-HfZN9aBmaGF3j3aR7VWjGOFAUbsRE_QebfMe3lZqTThYBBYRO947wcC95IKFNdZ1REhejFkJLYtBnWlGOgxVNSj48zvL4hP8RYzbWZbReW4CKjKMheOZDMdRtYK3TwJdRFwcuZOPt8Kb8L5Aw7K67yKwTCjt8C6C-IVYImNeQOF4XW-eSez7OmxrInuTRjKNMGfgAz8jQmCWe37G3XG6KjTzh9S_DfpL-hinXumTBHwmIlTL9MVBOM0HYhLn8mkYy_0dGVQK7dEk&__tn__=-R
https://www.facebook.com/zamgrill/posts/2675344172699652?__xts__[0]=68.ARD_f_LZNQMSSKZqcQR5n09KiGg0Cmze6t5wkKfwx2iCH79SQpDKj4RdDJ5dOT47zP4h8KEHIDCRlmG3i-lbqSIpHjAHfDFsTIycyHwCxy6Du2mBjMFpFwMdri0EExFI2mRIv1QDAeB-o3szWlOTjFZ1hSBhdvrKU076k-XD5UqXWUr0izUaR7Y07HpJQvMmlNFDUS8C47oRmV3a5jPMGTTRPtWlhitr0ocd1aM77Y2ht_PvrwA4ww1LRsXhH3bL5gf-7fY7515xFYlUYRwtD1wmx5EUvngZMeCzaMpYafYuj3X3pzKTVVJnY6T8J-QGC9Qh4hCD49aFn_63hvqI-ryjhxn7&__tn__=-R
https://www.facebook.com/Babesbbqbrewery/photos/a.1482976091740990/3134421229929793/?type=3&theater
That’s all for this morning. Stay safe. Stay smart. Stay home.
Thank you for your continued support of Cactus Hugs.
Important information:
Congressman Raul Ruiz has posted a list of local resources and information.
The Washington Post offers plenty of ways that you can help during the coronavirus pandemic.
If you see someone price gouging, there is now a number for that.
The New York Times has an interactive map where you can track every coronavirus case in the United States.
The Washington Post is out with a guide to what you should know about the coronavirus.
Here is a memo by the Department of Homeland security identifying critical infrastructure workers.
The United Way of the Desert has assembled a nice list of information and resources available during the coronavirus here.
These are scary and anxious times. Be safe and kind to each other out there and, please, remember to wash your hands.
Anything we missed? Let us know about it.