Coachella Valley coronavirus news and info | Wednesday evening, May 20

(? Sue Farris)

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:

  • 6,184 people have officially tested positive for COVID-19.
    • 131 people have been reported to have tested positive in the last 24 hours.
  • 270 people are confirmed to have died in the county from the coronavirus.
    • There were no reported deaths in the last 24 hours.
  • There are currently 189 confirmed cases hospitalized.
    • 69 of those people in the ICU.
  • There have been 3,884 official recovered cases in the county.
  • The county has conducted 89,744 tests.

As of 3 pm Wednesday, San Bernardino County has confirmed 3,795 cases of COVID-19.  There have been 158 deaths in San Bernardino County.

As of 4 pm Wednesday, there have been 85,728 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in California.  There have been 3,485 confirmed deaths in the state.


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


The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians will re-open its casinos in Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage at noon on Friday May 22.  The tribe is promising “Play it Safe” measures to keep guests and employees safe. “Upon re-opening, our Tribe’s top priority will be to create and maintain the safest environment possible for everyone who interacts with our facilities, including guests, team members and vendors,” Tribal Chairman Jeff L. Grubbe said in a press release. “Play it Safe” measures include “intense cleaning efforts,” temperature checks upon entry, face-covering requirements, and social distancing requirements, among other measures.

Agua Caliente re-opening casinos May 22, 2020 ‘Play it Safe’ focuses on cleanliness & guest, team member safety The…

Posted by Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians on Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Also reopening this weekend: Copley’s on Palm Canyon. The Palm Springs eatery will be offering curbside pickup orders on Friday and Saturday…but note: orders must be placed online by 8 pm the night before.

The city of La Quinta has amended its short-term rentals executive order to bring it into alignment with the state of California, which still mandate restricts renters to essential workers only.  The city’s new order removes the requirement for property owners receive city authorization before entering into a rental agreement.  The city did keep in place a requirement of a minimum 24 hours between the departure of one renter and arrival of another.

A British man who caught coronavirus thought it would quickly pass. Instead, he’s been battling the virus for over seven weeks – dealing with everything from an upset stomach to ringing in the ears to pain and dizziness.  He told the Guardian, each time he thought he was getting better the illness roared back. “It’s deeply frustrating,” he said. “A lot of people start doubting themselves. Their partners wonder if there is something psychologically wrong with them.”

President Donald Trump was asked today what he wish he would’ve done differently during the coronavirus pandemic.  His answer: “Well, nothing.”

There is a lot of bitching about wearing a mask these days, but do note: Costco isn’t having it:

Meanwhile, this woman at a reopened US restaurant was told she couldn’t sit at one particular booth because of social distancing and…

 

Riverside County is looking to hire up to 200 contact tracers.  The county posted the job application online early in May and already has received more than 500 applications, but is still accepting additional submissions. if you are interested in learning more or applying, you can do that here. The entry-level position pays $18 an hour.

A So Cal event company typically spends this time of year providing tents, furniture, and flooring for high-profile music, food, and sports gatherings – but, after the BNP Paribas Tennis tournament was cancelled in March, they quickly changed gears and began building field hospitals and triage tents.  “You really use the same skill set building hospital structures as you do event spaces,” the CEO of Choura Events told Rolling Stone. “The difference is that you’re creating something for a patient that will potentially help save their life. I saw the first structure the day that it opened. It was so intense. I came back and I told my team, ‘Listen, when you see this in person, you are going to be changed. When you see COVID in person, the way medical experts are treating it — you are going to think differently about it.’”

A British company believes they have found the key to social distancing at work: beepers.  The technology is pretty simple: all worker wear a beeper around their neck or in their pocket.  Then, when two people get too close, the beepers sense it and, you guessed it, they beep.

Finally, this is very, very, very childish.  It’s also kinda funny:

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.