Coachella Valley coronavirus news and info | Sunday, May 3

By
Casey Dolan
-
(?: Delia Nilsen)

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.

Thank you for your continued support of Cactus Hugs. For ways to keep this website going (and free!), click here.

As of 4 pm Saturday, Riverside County officials have confirmed:

  • 4,164 people have tested positive for COVID-19.  85 people have tested positive in the last 24 hours.  
  • 161 people are confirmed to have died in the county from the coronavirus. There were 5 people reported dead in the last 24 hours.
  • There are currently 210 confirmed cases hospitalized, with 83 of them in the ICU.
  • There have been 1,945 official recovered cases in the county.
  • The county has conducted 52,577 tests.

As of 3 pm Saturday, San Bernardino County has confirmed 2,182 cases of COVID-19.  There have been 97 deaths in San Bernardino County.

As of 9 am Sunday, there have been 53,732 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in California.  There have been 2,192 confirmed deaths in the state.

The numbers are increasing everyday.  They are not just numbers.  They are people.  The individual stories are heartbreaking:

Dr. Deborah Birx was asked is she was worried about some states beginning to reopen despite not hitting the White House guidelines, she responded, “federal guidelines are pretty firm policy of what we think is important from a public health standpoint.”

As health officials continue to order that non-essential workers stay home, refrain from gathering in large groups, and wear masks, some-non essential workers in Redlands left home to gather in a large group, without masks to protest the orders.

Sure, by now you know you can golf or hike outside, but the state of California also released a list this week of other outdoor activities that are allowed, with some odd and specific surprises like “exploring rock pools, “soft martial arts (not in groups,” and “kite boarding.”  You can check out the list here.

Fall tennis in Indian Wells remains a possibility. In an interview with Inside Tennis, USTA Executive Director Michael Dowse said the federation is still hopeful they will host the US Open this year. “Nothing is off the table,”  he said, including events with fewer fans or virtually none at all and possibly moving the US Open from New York to Indian Wells.

Cities across Southern California are spending tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment to protect their first responders and staffers during the coronavirus pandemic.  As for much they are spending, or if they are paying fair prices, that sometimes remains clear, as many cities have declared states of emergency and don’t have to put the purchases out to bid or get approval from city councils.

College graduates are now facing one of the bleakest job markets in history.  As ABC News reports, many companies are rescinding internships and some are revoking job offers.

Some shoppers around Southern California have noticed a limit on meat purchases lately.  A spokesperson for Albertsons, Vons, and Pavilions said in the Southern California market told San Diego’s 10 News that they, “implemented a temporary limit of two packages per household on select meat items. Customer purchases will be limited to two packages of beef, chicken, and pork (this means they can purchase up to six packages of meat – two per commodity). We are not experiencing and do not anticipate any issues with supply or product availability. We did so to prevent panic buying and to ensure more of our customers can find the products they need.”  Have you seen something like this in the Coachella Valley?  Let us know in the comments.

The shopping patterns of Americans has quickly changed.  CBS News looks at what people are buying now – with in-demand items being things like frozen food, baking ingredients, video games, and booze & CBD.

A fight is looming in Washington DC as states begin to allow millions of Americans to reenter the workplace.  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, with the backing of the White House, is insisting that employers be shielded from liability if their workers contract the coronavirus. Democratic leaders have declared they will oppose such blanket protections.

The Washington Post recaps 34 days of Trump attempting to reopen the economy.

While the hope is that a vaccine for COVID-19 can be found quickly, there is a possibility one may never be found at all.  CNN looks at what the world might be like if no cure is found.

A ninth-grader in Moreno Valley, has made more than 1,000 cloth face masks since coronavirus-related shutdowns began.  Mia Lee she has made for the Moreno Valley Senior Center, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and nearly 800 for the public.  She doesn’t charge for the masks but does accept donations to help pay for materials.

Good morning. These are masks that are done and READY to be mailed or picked up..please message to arrange. Thank you

Posted by Mia's Masks on Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Thinking about getting some takeout?  Here are some local options:

?Manhattan Sized Combo ? This monster was featured on The Food Network’s “Man VS Food”!!Can you handle this?….. 760…

Posted by Manhattan in the Desert on Saturday, May 2, 2020

Finally, the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds took to the skies over DC, Baltimore, and Atlanta on Saturday:

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.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR