Coachella Valley coronavirus news and info | Wednesday evening, May 6

By
Casey Dolan
-
(?: Genny Silva)

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 Wednesday, Riverside County officials have confirmed:

  • 4,672 people have tested positive for COVID-19.  218 people have tested positive in the last 24 hours.  
  • 186 people are confirmed to have died in the county from the coronavirus. There were two new people reported dead in the last 24 hours.
  • There are currently 207 confirmed cases hospitalized, with 84 of them in the ICU.
  • There have been 1,997 official recovered cases in the county.
  • The county has conducted 63,399 tests.

As of 4 pm Wednesday, San Bernardino County has confirmed 2,432 cases of COVID-19.  There have been 104 deaths in San Bernardino County.

As of 4 pm Wednesday, there have been 60,222 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in California.  There have been 2,449 confirmed deaths in the state.

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

Blood thinning drugs could help save some patients who are the most severely affected by the new coronavirus, according to a team of doctors at Mount Sinai Hospital.  The team now says it is running experiments to see which anticoagulants may work best, and at which doses.

CVS executives warned Wednesday of an impending surge in medical problems in the United States unrelated to coronavirus.  According to the company, data from their pharmacies suggest Americans are delaying routine health care during the coronavirus pandemic.

A new genetic analysis of the 7,600 coronavirus patients around the world appears to show that the virus has been circulating in people since late last year.  Researchers believe the virus must have spread extremely quickly after the first infection. “The virus is changing, but this in itself does not mean it’s getting worse,” a genetics researcher told CNN.

A University of Pittsburgh professor who was on the verge of making “very significant findings” researching coronavirus, according to the university, was shot and killed in an apparent murder-suicide over the weekend, according to police.  Bing Liu, was found in his townhouse Saturday with gunshot wounds to the head, neck, torso and extremities.  Investigators believe an unidentified second man, who was found dead in his car, shot and killed Liu in his home before returning to his car and taking his own life.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an order on Wednesday that allows employees across the state to apply for worker’s compensation if they contract COVID-19, with a presumption that it was work-related unless employers can prove otherwise:

The city of Palm Springs will consider reopening recreational activities like golf, tennis and pickleball in the city during its council meeting tomorrow. As the Desert Sun notes, Mayor Geoff Kors warned that, despite a staff report recommending a limited reopening of those activities, nothing is certain.  So, I guess, we will all need to stay tuned.

Riverside County issued some new pool guidelines for public pools in apartment complexes and homeowners’ associations.  Officials noted “these are guidelines and not requirements.”  They are:

  • The Six feet separation should be implemented, and swimmers should limit themselves to lanes.
  • No large groups or pool parties. Residents of the same household may swim together.
  • Lounge chairs and/or tables should be properly distanced. If they cannot be distanced,
    they should be secured and stored.
  • Residents should wear a cloth face covering when traveling through common areas of
    the property where it may not be possible to maintain physical distancing, including to
    and from the pool, barbeque area and shared restrooms.
  • Residents should bring hand sanitizer, or it should be provided by pool operator.
  • Operators should frequently check shared restrooms to ensure they are stocked with
    hand soap and paper towels.
  • Operators should use scheduled time slots on the busiest days.
  • Operators should close the spa or limit use to 1 person or household at a time (post
    signage).
  • Create a written disinfection plan that identifies frequently touched surfaces, a
    schedule, and designated person to complete disinfection tasks.
  • Use an EPA-approved disinfectant on commonly touched surfaces, including but not
    limited to: gate, latch, tables, chairs, drinking fountain, pool handrails and countertops.
    In shared restrooms: door handles, light switches, faucets, latches and dispensers.
  • Post signage reminding residents to wash their hands frequently with soap and water,
    cover coughs and sneezes, and to avoid the pool area if they are experiencing symptoms
    of illness including a fever of 100°F or above, sore throat, runny nose, chills, not feeling
    well, sneezing, coughing, abdominal pain or diarrhea.

Newport Beach on Wednesday joined several Orange County beaches in receiving approval  from the state to reopen, allowing for “active recreation.” Some of the beaches have additional rules about hours and weekends.

Two months ago today, President Trump promised “anybody that wants” a COVID-19 test “can get a test.” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Wednesday that, “the notion that everyone needs to be tested is simply nonsensical.”

Liberty Street Economics took a look at where in the country the government’s PPP loans were distributed.  Their findings: There appears to be no statistically significant relationship between the severity of the economic impact of COVID-19—measured both in terms of cases and unemployment claims—and the share of small businesses getting PPP loans.

Local solar and energy solutions company Hot Purple Energy announced that they will be hosting a virtual job fair to hire FT Solar Installers on Tuesday, May 12th.  You can get more info here.

Desert Water Agency’s Board of Directors voted unanimously on Tuesday to continue the Agency’s customer relief efforts through mid-July. DWA will not turn any customer’s water off if they fail to pay their bill, nor will it collect any late fees. Additionally, the Agency is absorbing the credit card processing fees that customers previously paid. “Tap water is absolutely essential – especially during a public health crisis,”  DWA Board President, Joseph K. Stuart said in a news release. “We’re proud that we can safely and reliably provide it and help those in our community who have lost income.”

Beginning tonight, two county buildings in Riverside and Indio will be illuminated
lime green, the official color of mental health awareness, as part of Riverside County’s
month-long observance of May as Mental Health Month.  “I appreciate that Behavioral Health is always there for our community, and especially now,” Riverside County Board Supervisor Manny Perez said in a statement. “We have to proclaim every single day that there is hope. I want to recognize and commend our entire Behavioral Health staff, the nonprofits that advocate for mental health awareness, our Behavioral Health Commission and Desert Region Behavioral Health Advisory Board, and all the families we serve who are an inspiration to us.”

There are so many reasons to be bummed that you can’t take a trip up the Palm Springs Tram these days, including the fact that there is still snow up there!!!

Finally, it’s National Nurses Day. If you can, don’t just thank them, fight for them to get proper PPE.  Also, do everything you can (social distancing, wearing a mask, not hiking when it’s a million degrees out) to make sure you don’t have to get treated by them anytime soon – because they are pretty amazing people and they have their hands full right now.

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Last year, the World Health Organization declared 2020 the YEAR OF THE NURSE. Little did anybody know just what that would mean to all of us. Today marks the beginning of NATIONAL NURSES WEEK celebrated each year from May 6-12 to honor those who have chosen the nursing profession as a career, and to highlight the many and diverse ways that nurses contribute to high quality patient care. The celebration begins on May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, and continues through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, considered the most famous nurse. Please help us thank our dedicated nurses for the exceptional work they do each and every day. “LOVE" if a nurse has made a difference in your life. Share your stories here.? #Wehavethebestnursesever #NationalNursesWeek #NationalNursesDay #YearoftheNurse #MagnetHospital

A post shared by Eisenhower Health (@eisenhowerhealth) on

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.

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