Coronavirus Surge Continues In Riverside County

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus climbed over the weekend in Riverside County, and the figures are expected to continue increasing in coming days and weeks.

Additionally, the total number of people in Riverside County who've tested positive for the virus since March is expected to exceed 100,000 by early this week.

The total number of patients hospitalized with the virus countywide on Monday was reported at 700, with 146 of those patients in intensive care units, according to Riverside University Health System - Public Health. On Friday, COVID-19 hospitalizations were reported at 658, with 135 of those patients in ICU. Monday's total coronavirus hospitalizations set a new record.

Local health care officials have been preparing for the surge with added hospital bed capacity and personal protective equipment, but an unknown variable continues to be the availability of health care workers who are also impacted by infection.

Over the weekend, Kim Saruwatari, director of the Riverside County Department of Public Health, said, “We have seen cases and other metrics rising for the past month and it is expected to get even worse this month. We must practice social distancing and wear masks to preserve valuable space and staff in our hospital system. These resources are already stretched thin.”

Not naming health care workers specifically, Riverside County Supervisor Kevin Jeffries shared this message with constituents on social media Monday: "Impacts Occurring ... numerous service related providers that serve our communities across our county are being impacted by employees experiencing COVID related illnesses or quarantines. Our office has been informed that local Trash companies have shortages of drivers and/or office staff. This is now impacting local trash pickup in some areas. This is on top of various First Responder organizations that have had notable amounts of employees out on quarantine as well. As also reported today - Riverside County Hospitalization rates are continuing with their increasing trajectory. Stay healthy folks!!! (and please do what you can to support our local small businesses as best you can). Thanks"

The total number of coronavirus infections reported in the county since data began being tracked this past spring now stands at 92,272, compared to 87,945 on Friday — an increase of 4,327 newly confirmed cases.

The COVID-19 death toll is now at 1,488, an increase of 16 people since Friday.

Riverside County and the rest of Southern California is now under sweeping new health restrictions due to the rapidly increasing number of hospitalizations, state officials confirmed.

A state-mandated "regional stay-at-home" order went into effect at 11:59 p.m. Sunday across Southern California. It was triggered because intensive-care unit bed availability is under 15 percent.

The 11-county Southern California region's available ICU capacity was reported at 10.9 percent Monday.

The Southern California region consists of Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles, San Diego, Imperial, Inyo, Mono, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

The stay-at-home order is in place for three weeks and bars gatherings of people from different households. Regions will be eligible to exit from the order on Dec. 28 if ICU capacity projections climb to 15 percent or above.

Under the order, the following businesses/recreational facilities are forced to close under the order:

-- indoor and outdoor playgrounds;

-- indoor recreational facilities;

-- hair salons and barbershops;

-- personal care services;

-- museums, zoos, and aquariums;

-- movie theaters;

-- wineries;

-- bars, breweries and distilleries;

-- family entertainment centers;

-- cardrooms and satellite wagering;

-- limited services;

-- live audience sports;

-- amusement parks.

Schools with waivers are allowed to remain open, along with "critical infrastructure" and retail stores, which is now limited to 20 percent of capacity. Restaurants are restricted to takeout and delivery service only. Hotels can open "for critical infrastructure support only," while churches are restricted to outdoor only services. Entertainment production — including professional sports — can continue without live audiences.

Despite the restrictions, there has been little appetite for enforcement in Riverside County. On Friday, Sheriff Chad Bianco slammed the state mandate and said his deputies won't enforce it.

Riverside County spokesperson Brooke Federico said the county’s enforcement position has always been to educate first.

The county has a mechanism that allows residents to report noncompliance. See the link here.

"When we receive a complaint about a business operating outside of the current state restrictions, the complaint is reviewed by a county enforcement team," Federico said in an email response. "If the business is an eatery or other personal care business that is permitted by the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) (e.g., tattoo salons and pools), then an inspector with the DEH will reach out to the business to go over the current orders and what modifications must be made."

For noncompliant businesses or organizations that don't require a DEH permit, Federico said the county counsel’s office reaches out to them and goes over the orders and modifications needed.

"This is an educational approach and we’ve found that most all businesses contacted come into voluntarily compliance," Federico said.

"When a business has continued to operate outside of the current state orders, there have been times when the county has taken civil court action," she added. "Civil court actions include issuing cease and desist orders or seeking a temporary restraining order from the court."

RELATED: To help track the coronavirus spread, a new opt-in notification system for cell phones will alert Californians if they came into close contact with someone who tested positive for the virus. Read more here.