Coachella Valley coronavirus news and info | Wednesday June 3

By
Casey Dolan
-
(?: Sharon Calcagno)

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 3 pm Wednesday, Riverside County officials have confirmed:

  • 8,303 people have officially tested positive for COVID-19.  148 people have been reported positive in the last 24 hours.
  • 345 people are confirmed to have died in the county from the coronavirus. This number includes the reported deaths of 3 people in the last 24 hours.

As of 3 pm Tuesday, San Bernardino County has confirmed:

  • 5,650 people have official tested positive for COVID-19.
  • 209 people are confirmed to have died in the county from the coronavirus.

As of 1:30 pm Wednesday, the State of California has confirmed:

  • 118,920 people have official tested positive for COVID-19.
  • 4,333 people are confirmed to have died in the county from the coronavirus.

The numbers increase everyday.  They are more than just numbers.  They are people we have lost:

A leading health expert warns that up to 400,000 Americans may die from COVID-19 by next spring, before a potential vaccine is ready for mass distribution. “All of the best models suggest that another 100,000 will die over the next three to four months if we continue to have 1,000 deaths a day,” Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, said during a forum. “It is entirely possible that by next spring, by the time we might get a vaccine, 300,000 to 400,000 Americans will have died from this disease.”

Men have been hit harder and data shows they face a greater risk of complications from coronavirus.  But why?  Scientists researching COVID-19 have zeroed in on a possible reason: Androgens—male hormones such as testosterone—appear to boost the virus’ ability to get inside cells.

The medical director of a local ER told KESQ they are worried about a possible surge in coronavirus cases after the recent large protests. “As a physician, I hope people are practicing social distancing, but I’m also curious to see if we do see a spike,” he told the TV station. “Then we’ll know, ‘oh my goodness, gatherings are still at risk, we have to be extra careful,’ so I think this is going to let us know a lot of information pretty quickly.”  He added that it might be a test, of sorts, to see how to go forward, saying, “I think if we don’t see a huge spike, maybe that will help us loosen things up a little bit.”

The La Quinta City Council is meeting Wednesday evening to discuss layoffs and furloughs in the wake of a projected $2.3 million budget deficit.  The city is considering cutting its workforce by 20.5%, which they say would save about $1.8 million.

A local bar caught fire early Tuesday morning.  The location made headlines when it called for lynching politicians due to the stay-at-home orders, with the owner comparing his situation to what people suffered through in the Holocaust.  The bar painted over those messages with other odd things this past weekend, before then catching on fire a couple of days later.  The blaze is under investigation and officials are asking anyone with info to give them a call:

BREAKING: Cal Fire Law Enforcement is asking the public to call the Arson Hotline at 800-633-2836 with any info on the…

Posted by KESQ News Channel 3 on Wednesday, June 3, 2020

The bar posted that they intend on rebuilding at the earliest possible time:

On June 2nd, 2020 A catastrophic fire occurred at the Red Barn. Fortunately there was no loss of life or injuries. It…

Posted by Red Barn of Palm Desert on Wednesday, June 3, 2020

KESQ caught up with local car dealerships to see how one of their biggest advertiser categories was doing during the pandemic.  One interesting thing that is now happening: People are being allowed to take a test drive without a salesperson in the car.

Vegas casinos are reopening this week, with many on The Strip reopening tomorrow. And it’s not just the casinos, it’s the hotels too.  A check to the Caesars booking page shows rooms available for a Thursday through Saturday stay at the Flamingo for $63 per night and Caesar’s Palace for $124. Meanwhile, Vegas.com has Circus Circus rooms at $30 per night and the Bellagio at $157. Many Vegas casinos are reopening restaurants, pools, and spas…albeit with safety measures.  Just don’t expect to see a show anytime soon.

Catalina Island is reopening for tourists.  The resort island says it is following strict safety protocols and the Catalina Island Co. says it has spent more than $100,000 to provide restaurants, hotels and other venues with protective measures like hand sanitizer stations, Plexiglass protectors, and ultraviolet lights to sanitize rooms.

Coachella Valley High grads participated in a drive thru ceremony on Wednesday.  It wasn’t your typical ceremony, but the Empire Polo Field and Spectra art installation turned out to be a pretty awesome background for graduation photos:

Finally…

That’s all for this evening. Stay safe. Stay smart. Stay home.

Thank you for your continued support of Cactus Hugs.

These are stressful times for all of us. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and our desert community stronger. This link has some resources to help with coping and also numbers to call or text if you, or someone you know, feels overwhelmed.

Please, take care of yourself and each other. You are important. You are valued. You are loved. ??

Anything we missed? Let us know about it.

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