Coachella Valley coronavirus news and info | Sunday evening, 3/29

Cactus Hugs has been tracking local stories about the coronavirus.   For a rundown of all of our updates, click here.

• As of 3:30 pm Sunday, Riverside County officials have confirmed 233 people have tested positive for COVID-19. There have been 8 reported deaths in the county.
• As of 4 pm Saturday, San Bernardino County has confirmed 76 cases of COVID-19.  There has been 3 deaths in San Bernardino County.
• As of 2:30 pm Sunday, there have been 5,846 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in California.  There have been 124 deaths in the state.
• You should plan on spending lots more time at home:

https://twitter.com/LizHabib/status/1244389067615129600

• Three grocery store workers in So Cal have tested positive for COVID-19.
• A reminder, now is not the time to bring your reusable shopping bags:

https://twitter.com/DesertTesla/status/1244385477043470336

• Here is the process of drive up testing in Riverside County:

• A reminder, the Coachella Valley testing site has moved to the Indio Fairgrounds:

https://twitter.com/RivCoDoc/status/1244034373294403585

• The city of Palm Springs has temporarily relocated its overnight homeless shelter from the former boxing club across from the airport to Palm Springs High School.  In the same link, the Desert Sun notes that portable handwashing stations have surfaced in downtown Palm Springs.

• The Desert Sun says you shouldn’t expect a Bighorn Sheep to show up in your backyard anytime soon as you stay at home.
• The City of Palm Springs will hold a webinar on Monday for small businesses in need of assistance:

https://twitter.com/CityofPS/status/1244380060754141184

• The City of Indio and Indio Chamber of Commerce has set up a number for business and unemployment assistance:

https://twitter.com/CityofIndio/status/1244368820367699975

• Meanwhile in Washington DC:

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1244320571653074951

• Country music star Joe Diffie died Sunday at the age of 61 due to coronavirus complications.

https://twitter.com/Stagecoach/status/1244383784469819393

• Singer John Prine has been hospitalized with  COVID-19 symptoms:

https://twitter.com/RollingStone/status/1244383872852332552

• The LA Times reports on how the pandemic will likely change the television industry forever.
• The owner of the Clippers has donated $25 million for COVID-19 relief a few days after announcing he will spend $400 million to buy an arena.

https://twitter.com/TMZ_Sports/status/1243660134607474690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1243670626755379209&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkfiam640.iheart.com%2Fcontent%2F2020-03-27-steve-balmer-and-his-wife-donate-millions-to-help-fight-covid-19%2F

• Gas prices continue to fall:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-VNB6RBmE5/?igshid=15oyd4bmojrua

• A Southern California distillery has shifted from making whiskey to hand sanitizer:

https://youtu.be/1HP7QyH2Y6A

• The Desert Sun sent a drone up to see what the Coachella Valley looks nowadays from above:

https://twitter.com/MyDesert/status/1244331249281445894

• That’s all for this morning, awesome reader.  As always, thank you for your support of Cactus Hugs.  Take care of yourself, your family, and your neighbors.

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.

https://twitter.com/EisenhowerHeal/status/1237090645920993288

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.