SoCal Flees Heat At Beaches, Beach City Coronavirus Totals

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA — The heat wave that began last week is the Southland's first of the year and drew crowds to Orange County Beaches, leading Newport Beach to reconsider their open beach policies amid coronavirus and social distancing practices.

On Monday, there were 2,126 cases of coronavirus in Orange County, with 39 people having died as a result of the virus. Out of Orange County's 3.2 million residents, only 26,347 people have been tested for the virus. No deaths due to the virus were reported Monday.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said he respects local decision-making —and the political pressure being placed on local elected officials— but he said social-distancing has to remain in force.

"I cannot impress upon people more: The only thing that will set us back is our behavior," he said. "The only thing that will set us back is people stopping to practice physical distancing and appropriate social distancing. That's the only thing that's gonna slow down our ability to reopen this economy, our ability to adapt and modify the stay-at-home order. As I said, weeks— not months— if the data continues to be as stable as it has been over the course of the last few weeks. The only thing that can stop that is more images like we saw over this weekend."

Orange County CEO Frank Kim said he took a drive along the coast this weekend and noticed the large crowds, but he said he believes the problem will resolve itself as beaches are reopened in San Diego and elsewhere.

"What I heard was San Diego will open its beaches so that will be a benefit to us, since we won't see people coming up to Orange County from San Diego," Kim said. "I don't want to punish Orange County residents, keeping them away from the outdoors to recreate... I think the density will lessen as more beaches open."

Kim said he also heard that the state's beaches in the area were also set to reopen soon.
"Once they do that it'll spread out the crowds," Kim said.

OC Parks officials in charge of enforcing social distancing at the county's beaches told Kim, "(Social Distancing) was not being followed as well as we hoped."

Seal Beach: 11 coronavirus Cases - Monday

Book-ending the county, Seal Beach and Laguna Beach laid out strict rules prior to the weekend regarding beach closures, as well as parking lot, park and trail head closures. Social distancing rules were made clear in both cities.

The police department was also vocal regarding how enforcement would be handled.

Thus far, 11 residents of Seal Beach and 36 people in Laguna Beach affected by coronavirus, a number that has not fluctuated in over a week, according to the Orange County Health Care agency.

Newport Beach: 96 coronavirus cases - Monday

Newport Beach, by comparison, has 96 people affected by coronavirus, up three cases since last Friday.

Over the weekend, Newport Beach residents reported overcrowding at the beach, and on walkways in front of beachfront homes and on side streets. Newport's City Council will consider temporary weekend beach closures at a special meeting scheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday. The agenda will also include developing a committee to guide business reopening, according to a city statement.

Huntington Beach: 181 coronavirus cases - Monday

Meanwhile, in adjacent Huntington Beach, 181 residents are affected by coronavirus. Recent outbreaks at a Huntington Beach nursing facility greatly increased that total that rose from 162 late last week. Still, crowds of inland residents hit the shores in their family groups, but did manage to keep their distance from each other, authorities said Monday.

"Despite what's being reported, the majority of our beach goers are complying" to social distancing, Huntington Beach police said.

Police and lifeguards spent the weekend patrolling the beach and found "the majority of people staying in their own unit," the city said in a statement."If not they are educated and have complied."

Lifeguards also broadcast hourly social distancing reminders from the loud speaker on the pier.

As the sun set on Sunday in Huntington Beach, residents breathed easy with a little bit of normal back in place.

Dana Point: 22 coronavirus cases Monday

Further to the south, Dana Point has 22 residents that have been affected with coronavirus, another number which has stayed the same for at least one week.

San Clemente: 45 coronavirus cases Monday

San Clemente, who reopened their beaches this weekend, has 45 residents affected with coronavirus.

Southern California has a few more days of baking and above-normal temperatures in store this week, the National Weather Service has forecast.

The high pressure system pushed highs into the 80s Monday and the 90s in several communities on Tuesday, though not in Orange County.

A combination of sunny and partly cloudy skies was forecast in Orange County, along with highs of 66 on Santiago Peak; 70 in San Clemente and Laguna Beach; 71 in Newport Beach; 73 on Ortega Highway at 2,600 feet; 76 at Fremont Canyon; 80 in Mission Viejo; 81 in Fullerton; and 82 in Yorba Linda, Mission Viejo, Irvine and Anaheim. Temperatures will remain in the 80s through Sunday in most communities, with no highs in the 90s expected.

Offshore, a gale warning will be in effect until 3 a.m. Wednesday amid northwest winds of 25 to 35 knots per hour and combined seas of up to 9 to 2 feet, according to the NWS. Sailors were urged not to leave port in these conditions.

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