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 4 pm Thursday, Riverside County officials have confirmed:
- 4,756 people have tested positive for COVID-19. 84 people have tested positive in the last 24 hours.
- 192 people are confirmed to have died in the county from the coronavirus. There were six new people reported dead in the last 24 hours.
- There are currently 196 confirmed cases hospitalized, with 81 of them in the ICU.
- There have been 2,217 official recovered cases in the county.
- The county has conducted 64,986 tests.
May 7 — Coachella Valley #covid19 stats (+ from day before):
886 confirmed cases (+8)
33 deaths (+1)#coachellavalley #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/nxsXM4St2y— Kevin Duncliffe (@kevinduncliffe) May 7, 2020
As of 4 pm Thursday, San Bernardino County has confirmed 2,562 cases of COVID-19. There have been 108 deaths in San Bernardino County.
As of 3 pm Thursday, there have been 61,901 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in California. There have been 2,523 confirmed deaths in the state.
More than 75,000 people in the US have died from coronavirus, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University. https://t.co/1hE7YPwsdc
See a state-by-state breakdown of cases: https://t.co/AO2oDmqIUz
— CNN (@CNN) May 7, 2020
Daily positive cases of covid19 as a percent of total daily tests continues to fall nationally, a very good sign as covid testing expands. Declining positivity could be a leading indicator of an epidemic starting to decline. 10% is still high but it's coming down at a steady pace pic.twitter.com/xVP56dxUmV
— Scott Gottlieb, MD (@ScottGottliebMD) May 7, 2020
The numbers are increasing everyday. They are not just numbers. They are people. The individual stories are heartbreaking:
Michael Halkias, Owner Of Brooklyn's Grand Prospect Hall And Star Of Its TV Ads, Has Died Of The Coronavirus https://t.co/YZkGHBOSAS
— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) May 7, 2020
David Toren was a Holocaust survivor and successful patent lawyer who waged a single-minded quest to recover paintings the Nazis stole from his family. He died of the coronavirus. https://t.co/UOwcfbZ7gJ
— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 7, 2020
Flavio Ramos, 55, died of Covid-19 in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Over a month later, his family still hasn't buried him. His son spent days looking through corpses at a morgue. Ramos' story illustrates the plight of a city totally overwhelmed by coronavirus. https://t.co/aqYRD0WzPx pic.twitter.com/3TeAiIG2hw
— CNN (@CNN) May 7, 2020
A study published Thursday in the Journal of the American Medicine Association found the coronavirus was found in the semen of 16% of the male patients in the study. Particles were detected in both the semen of men who had active infections and those who had recovered. The researchers aren’t yet sure whether the finding means the virus can be sexually transmitted.
At least 138 employees at a meat packing plant in central California have tested positive for the coronavirus. The outbreak at Central Valley Meat Company in Hanford accounts for nearly two-thirds of all coronavirus cases in Kings County.
As stores limit the amount of meat that can be purchased and nearly one out of five Wendy’s stores have run out of beef, industry experts and workers say challenges with the country’s meat supply chain will likely linger as long as the pandemic does. “What we’re seeing is an imbalance between production and consumption, which is causing disruption throughout the entire value chain,” a professor at Texas A&M told CNBC.
Gov. Gavin Newson on Thursday released guidelines allowing some lower risk businesses to reopen beginning tomorrow. According to the state, select retailers should increase pick-up and delivery and encourage social distancing, along with other measures. Guidelines for manufacturers include closing indoor break rooms and creating outdoor break areas. Warehouses are also allowed to reopen but must follow similar guidelines as the manufacturing industry:
NEW: Today CA released guidance for some lower risk industries to begin re-opening.
Starting TOMORROW places like:
-clothing stores
-bookstores
-florists
-sporting goodsAlong with manufacturing and logistics associated can start to re-open.
LEARN MORE: https://t.co/xtXFwVeWc2 pic.twitter.com/raiY8W21r9
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) May 7, 2020
Newsom also explained why state health officials have put some “red flags” on nail salons, gyms, and hair salons as high-risk businesses. “This whole thing started in the state of California – the first community spread – in a nail salon,” Newsom said, explaining why salons are not part of the reopening phase.
Congressman Raul Ruiz and Michael R. Reich, Takemi Research Professor of International Health Policy at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, present a “five-point checklist to guide efforts to open up safely, based on the best available scientific thinking” in a Desert Sun Op-Ed. The pair write, “Our nation is now entering a new phase in the COVID-19 pandemic, as we seek to reopen the economy while protecting the public’s health. These two objectives are not in conflict. Indeed, we must do both together.”
Reopening the economy and protecting the public’s health are not in conflict. Indeed, we must do both together. Read my opinion piece here about how we open up safely.https://t.co/kRwgWDandi
— Raul Ruiz (@RepRaulRuizMD) May 7, 2020
The Washington Post has been analyzing cell phone-tracking data and, even though it seems people are inching out of the homes from the peak of staying at home in the beginning of April, most Americans are staying put. The data appears to show that in Riverside County on April 30, people spent 92% of their time at home, which was down slightly from over 95% at the beginning of April. As for where people are going, well, it’s mostly places like grocery stores and parks.
The Palm Desert DMV will reopen on Friday for those who need appointments and transactions that can only be done in person:
The @CA_DMV will reopen SELECT offices beginning Friday, May 8, for transactions that require an in-person visit. To learn more about which #CADMV offices are opening & the select services that will be provided visit: https://t.co/skSOm5GvzY#Covid19 #CoronaVirus #DMV pic.twitter.com/buwqOHYUIR
— CA DMV (@CA_DMV) May 7, 2020
This probably won’t surprise, but trash removal drivers are picking up much more garbage from residences these days. Since the beginning of the stay-at-home health orders, Huntington Beach says their drivers are picking up 30% more residential trash than usual.
San Bernardino’s Beyond Wonderland fest has been postponed (again). This time, organizers have stated it won’t happen until 2021.
Finally, thinking about grabbing some takeout this weekend? Here are some local options, including Mother’s Day options and a special fundraiser:
Make sure to save your spot for dinner this weekend ✨ Mother’s Day is coming up this could be an early treat ? #farmpalmsprings
Posted by FARM on Thursday, May 7, 2020
Sunday Funday just got even better! We LOVE our Moms! Order Out on Mother's Day and receive a complimentary gift card…
Posted by Polo Pizza Co. on Thursday, May 7, 2020
WE ARE OPEN!We are thrilled to announce that Steers will be reopening for takeout and delivery on May 10th. We are…
Posted by Steers Bar & Grill on Tuesday, May 5, 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.