Coronavirus Cases Surpass 20,000 In Riverside County

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The number of new coronavirus cases reported since Friday rose by 1,105 in Riverside County to a total of 20,555 since the county began tracking in March. Of those total cases, 8,352 people have since recovered from the virus.

Seven more people died due to COVID-19 complications over the weekend, bringing the county’s death toll to 486.

Hospitalizations rose by 33 to 495 — with 130 of those patients in ICU. On Friday, 120 patients were reported in ICU across the county’s hospitals.

On Monday, the number of people tested for the virus was reported at 259,183, which represents an increase of 13,838 tests since Friday’s reporting.

Due to its increasing number of positive cases and hospitalizations, Riverside County continues to be on a state “watchlist,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday.

The county is not alone. The list now includes a total of 23 counties, including Colusa, Contra Costa, Fresno, Glenn, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Marin, Merced, Monterey, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Solano, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Ventura.

Colusa, Madera, Marin, Merced, Monterey, San Diego are new to the list as of Monday.

To help prevent COVID-19 spread, Newsom announced last week that “strike teams” are targeting businesses in watchlist counties — looking for violations of COVID-19 safety protocols mandated by state and local officials.

During a July 2-5 enforcement period, 5,986 restaurants and bars in watchlist counties were visited by the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control, Newsom said. It’s not clear how many of those businesses were in Riverside County.

Bars are ordered closed in watchlist counties, and restaurants can serve only take-out, delivery, or outdoor-seated patrons. No indoor seating is allowed. Alcoholic beverages are reserved for customers who order meals, according to last week’s state mandate that is expected to last at least three weeks.

The governor also mandated that indoor operations at wineries, family entertainment centers, cardrooms, theaters, zoos, and museums shutter in watchlist counties.

The strike forces, which are made up of 10 different state agencies, also visited 344 people in watchlist counties who are licensed by the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. The Department of Industrial Relations/CalOSHA contacted 441,755 businesses in the watchlist counties, according to Newsom.

The governor also announced an incentive to help local law enforcement crack down on individuals and businesses not following state and county orders. A $2.5 billion package will be doled out to local law enforcement agencies that need help in COVID-19 safety enforcement, Newsom said.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco has previously said he would not enforce COVID-19 orders, including face masks and social distancing.

In counties where law enforcement chooses not to enforce, Newsom said the state will jump in.

Over the two-day holiday weekend, the state reported 24 COVID-19 deaths statewide — a number that in recent weeks has slowed. While cases and hospitalizations are going up, many of them are younger people — 18- to 49-year-olds — who are admitted with less acute symptoms, the governor said.

In Riverside County, more than three-quarters of all COVID-19 infections have been among 18- to 39-year-olds and 40- to 64-year-olds — 8,223 and 7,392, respectively.

Newsom also attributed the falling death rate to better safety protocols at skilled nursing facilities, which earlier saw mass outbreaks and deaths statewide, including in Riverside County.