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, and thank you for your continued support of Cactus Hugs.
As of 1 pm Friday, Riverside County officials have confirmed:
- 2,457 people have tested positive for COVID-19.
- 69 people are confirmed to have died in the county from the coronavirus. 10 people have died in the last 24 hours.
- There are currently 216 confirmed cases hospitalized, with 72 of them in the ICU.
- There have been 544 official recovered cases in the county.
As of 8 am Friday, San Bernardino County has confirmed 1,032 cases of COVID-19. There have been 47 deaths in San Bernardino County.
As of 4 pm Friday, there have been 29,175 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in California. There have been 1,041 confirmed deaths in the state.
Reported US coronavirus deaths:
Right now: 36,721
24 hrs ago: 32,186
48 hrs ago: 27,850
72 hrs ago: 25,163— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) April 17, 2020
The US has surpassed 700,000 coronavirus cases.
The US accounts for 31.3% of worldwide cases, a percentage that continues to rise.
We make up 4.2% of the world population.
— Amy Siskind ?️? (@Amy_Siskind) April 17, 2020
The numbers are increasing everyday. The individual stories are heartbreaking:
“When they locked down, we had no connection with our mom,” says Lee Repasch, whose mother died at the New Jersey nursing home where an anonymous tip led police to find 17 people dead inside a morgue. Thirty-three people have died of coronavirus there. https://t.co/dGhETwEtSd pic.twitter.com/6ovyd7qVEK
— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) April 17, 2020
HEARTBREAKING: 32-year-old local father Ted Le has died of #coronavirus while waiting for a possible #COVID19 plasma donor. Le leaves behind his wife Chloe and their 2-year-old son Kendrick. Our hearts go out to his family in this difficult time?https://t.co/Hrd45cW4YA pic.twitter.com/cZAe0Ig4QS
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) April 17, 2020
A manager at the SunDate packaging facility in Coachella has died from coronavirus complications, according to KESQ.
The number of deaths and confirmed COVID-19 cases at Cedar Mountain Post Acute Rehabilitation in Yucaipa have grown to 16 deaths and 103 confirmed cases, including 70 residents and 33 staff members. The numbers are up from 75 confirmed cases and five deaths reported April 6.
California Senator Kamala Harris is demanding the government collect data on COVID-19 racial disparities and form a task force to close those inequalities:
I’ve demanded the federal government collect data on coronavirus racial disparities to understand its full scope and form a racial disparities task force to close those inequalities. Resources to communities that have been hit hardest by the pandemic must be prioritized.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) April 17, 2020
Riverside County officials will now test residents who do not have symptoms, but want to be tested. “We’re testing people already when they’re sick, but we need to understand how COVID-19 is affecting people who may generally feel well, including kids,” Dr. Cameron Kaiser, county public health officer, said in a statement. “That’s going to be a key indicator for understanding how it spreads and knowing where our areas of concern are when we think about if and how much to open things again.” Those looking to be tested need to call 800-945-6171 for an appointment.
Doctors and other health care workers have moved into UC Riverside’s Extension building to avoid spreading coronavirus to their families and others in the community.
Protestors of the life-saving stay-at-home measures took the streets in Huntington Beach on Friday. Many there were not wearing masks or practicing social distancing:
Protesters take to the corner of Main and Walnut in #huntingtonbeach to protest #Coved_19 closures. #coronavirus @ocregister #SocialDistancing pic.twitter.com/3bvV4jKiyx
— Jeff Gritchen ?? (@jeffgritchen) April 17, 2020
When asked about similar protests happening around the country, Donald Trump said he is not concerned about them spreading COVID-19. He then went on to suggest that the owner of a meat packing plant is responsible for an outbreak there:
"I wonder who owns that company" — Trump suggests that owners of meat packing plants that have experienced Covid outbreaks are somehow responsible pic.twitter.com/vSOuURXyfI
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 17, 2020
Governor Gavin Newsom announced an economic recovery committee which will include four former governors and business executives. The committee will be chaired by Tom Steyer:
California Gov. Gavin Newsom announces an economic recovery committee that includes four former governors including Jerry Brown and Arnold Schwarzenegger and executives such as Apple CEO Tim Cook. It will be chaired by former presidential candidate Tom Steyer pic.twitter.com/zPITaK7Lbm
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) April 17, 2020
The City of La Quinta has announced an economic relief program for businesses in the city who have been affected by COVID-19:
La Quinta City Council approved the COVID-19 Small Business Emergency Economic Relief Program that will help provide…
Posted by Visit La Quinta – California on Friday, April 17, 2020
There will not be a Comic Con in San Diego this year.
Disneyland’s grad night parties have also been cancelled.
College of the Desert is offering online programs including photography, accounting, meditation, healing, writing, Microsoft, business, programming, and language open to the general public during the stay-at-home orders. The sessions are designed in six-week blocks and the average cost of a course is $115.
KMIR is looking to air some short videos of members of the class of 2020:
ATTENTION GRADUATES IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY!
We want to highlight your accomplishments!
Send us a 10-15 second video of who you are and what school you go to and you could be featured in one of our shows. Email news@nbcpalmsprings.com with the subject "2020 Graduate" pic.twitter.com/pHu5SXgqff— NBC Palm Springs (@NBCPalmSprings) April 17, 2020
Thinking about getting some takeout?
Guess what day it is……???Fish and Chips Day!!!!????Curbside Takeout at 4 o’clock till 8pm tonight? ?Ask about bottle Wine SPECIALS tonight? CALL (760) 656-4082
Posted by Paul on Friday, April 17, 2020
Thank you to everyone for your continued loyalty and support during these trying times! We are trying our very best to…
Posted by Athena Gyro – Palm Desert on Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Posted by El Tranvia on Wednesday, April 15, 2020
10 pack of JELL-O shots for $20 with your food order. Pick your favorite flavors and pop em in your mouth! Order online…
Posted by Little Bar on Friday, April 17, 2020
That’s all for this evening. 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.
