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 3 pm Tuesday, Riverside County officials have confirmed 371 people have tested positive for COVID-19.
As of 8 am Wednesday, San Bernardino County has confirmed 183 cases of COVID-19. There has been 6 deaths in San Bernardino County.
As of 10:32 pm Tuesday, there have been 8,588 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in California. There have been 183 deaths in the state.
The United Nations says that the pandemic is the “most challenging crisis we have faced” in the world since World War II.
It’s possible the Riverside County’s 102 available ICU beds may be at capacity by April 12, according to health officials. The remaining 1,399 hospital beds could be filled by April 22.
Riverside County health officials are now recommending you stay in place and, if you have to go somewhere, cover your face:
In a move they say is necessary to protect staff and inmates, state prisons are set to release 3,500 nonviolent inmates early.
CBS LA goes inside the field hospital set up at the Riverside County Fairgrounds to treat coronavirus patients.
Desert Healthcare District is seeking donations of medical equipment, medical supplies, and non-medical supplies like paper towels, bleach, and trash bags. You can see the items they are requesting here and learn how to donate here.
PLEASE READ … If you or someone you know is a medical supplier, business owner or resident with medical supplies,…
Posted by Desert Healthcare District on Tuesday, March 31, 2020
The Desert Sun reports on hotels continuing to stay open in the Coachella Valley and what officials are doing about it.
The Coachella Valley Water Department reminds everyone that “flushable wipes” aren’t really all that flushable. In an email to Cactus Hugs, the water department noted that as of late they have seen a large increase in wipes in the sewer system which can cause really significant damage to their pumps. The department notes that only human waste and toilet paper should go down the drain, as explained in this graphic:
Desert Sands Unified School District is changing their schedule of distributing free meals.
Over 1.6 million Californians have applied for unemployment insurance since mid-March. The large amount of claims have forced the state to hire back retired staff to help process all the claims.
Starting Friday, Costco will limit the amount of people in its stores by allowing only two people to enter per membership card. The company has also adjusted its operating hours for its stores and gas stations.
Speaking of Costco, there are not many options at the food court in Palm Desert these days:
Hardly anyone is flying these days:
An interesting comparison, with TSA recording lowest screenings in 10 years. Another record low number of passengers – 154,080 – were screened at checkpoints on Monday, compared to the 2,360,053 on the same day last year. It’s "lowest number screened by TSA in over a decade."
— Angela Chen KESQ (@AngelaWChen) April 1, 2020
A lot of Californians are getting sauced these days.
City Wok in Palm Desert is offering free meals to unemployed restaurant workers:
CITY WOK IS HERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE CURRENTLY FEEDING ALL UNEMPLOYED RESTAURANT WORKERS IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY…
Posted by City Wok on Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Finally, listen to Larry David:
Listen to Larry David:
“You’re hurting old people like me. Well, not me…I’ll never see you.” #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/1f79k9I0q7
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) March 31, 2020
That’s all for this morning. Welcome to April. As always, thank you for your support of Cactus Hugs. Take care of yourself, your family, and your neighbors – and, please, be well.
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.
Schools are closed, but free student meals are available. Here is the information on meal programs during this time for each Coachella Valley school district.
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.
— Eisenhower Health (@EisenhowerHeal) March 9, 2020
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.
