Murrieta Facilities Close Amid COVID-19 Spread

MURRIETA, CA — The city of Murrieta shuttered its facilities Friday amid an increase in COVID-19 cases across the region but all services will still be available.

City Hall will be closed through Jan. 23, with a "planned reopening" Jan. 24, officials announced.

"City staff will still be working and all services will be available virtually or via phone, according to the announcement. Development staff will be available by appointment as staffing allows. Plans will still be accepted and processed so we can best serve the community while adjusting to the staffing shortages we face due to the recent COVID-19 case increase.

"Our goal is always to serve the community and keep them and our employees safe," the announcement continued. "Please check out our online services or call City Hall for assistance."

For online services, visit MurrietaCA.gov or call City Hall's main number at 951-304-CITY (2489).

The city of Lake Elsinore closed all of its facilities Wednesday.

The number of COVID-positive patients in Riverside County hospitals increased by 59 people Thursday to 772, according to state data. The number of those patients in intensive care increased to 123, up 15 from Wednesday.

The county reported an additional 12 virus-related deaths and 1,880 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, bringing the total to 410,526 cases and 5,620 deaths since the pandemic began in March 2020, according to the Riverside University Health System.