Coronavirus Cases Exceed 5,100, 12 New Deaths In Riverside County

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Riverside County health officials Monday reported a dozen coronavirus fatalities and 150 new confirmed cases, bringing the death toll to 217 and case total to 5,189.

Of the 199 Riverside County residents currently hospitalized with the disease, 74 are being treated in intensive care units, one more than Sunday, according to the Riverside University Health System.

RUHS officials also reported 26 more documented recoveries among county residents, bringing the total to 2,645.

More than 73,000 Riverside County residents have been tested for the coronavirus, which accounts for more than 2% of the county's population of nearly 2.5 million.

Although residents under age 18 make up about 25% of the county's population, that age bracket accounts for just 6.6% of the testing appointments at the county's coronavirus testing sites, according to local officials, who urged more members of that group get tested. Read more: Children Sought For Coronavirus Testing In Riverside County

Eight new state-funded coronavirus testing sites opened last week throughout the county, with the combined capacity to test an additional 1,000 people per day. Free testing for all residents regardless of symptoms will be administered at the new locations — which include Hemet, Norco, Perris, Mecca and Desert Hot Springs — by OptumServe, a private company. To get tested at these sites, visit http://Lih.care/covidtesting or call 888-634-1123.

Four drive-up testing sites run by county public health officials in Perris, Indio, Riverside and Lake Elsinore remain operational, which can be accessed if an appointment is made by calling 800-945-6171.

—City News Service