Riverside County Coronavirus Update: Numbers, News

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — A day after Riverside County was moved to a less restrictive level under the state's four-tier roadmap for business reopenings amid coronavirus, COVID-19 hospitalizations edged up slightly, figures released Wednesday showed.

There were 150 patients hospitalized countywide for treatment of the virus, four more than Tuesday, according to Riverside University Health System data. That figure includes 42 people in intensive care units, unchanged since Tuesday, the RUHS data showed.

The RUHS said the total number of COVID-19 infections is 57,695, up 213 since Tuesday. Out of that total, 53,004 people having recovered from the illness.

The number of deaths tied to COVID-19 stands at 1,173, one more than the day before.

California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly announced Tuesday the county's forward progression in the state's "Blueprint" to recovery. The framework saw Riverside County shift from the most restrictive "purple tier" to the "red tier," which permits more sectors to reopen — with limitations on indoor capacities and enforcement of social distancing. The county qualified for the move under testing and positivity thresholds established by the California Department of Public Health. Read more: State OKs More Reopening Of Riverside County Amid Coronavirus

Under the red tier, all remaining personal care services may return indoors, including nail salons, tattoo shops, massage services and esthetician services. Hair salons and barber shops were returned indoors under the previous purple tier.

In addition, restaurants, places of worship, movie theaters, as well as museums, zoos and aquariums may resume indoor operations up to 25 percent capacity. Gyms may resume indoors up to 10 percent capacity and indoor shopping malls up to 50 percent capacity.

“Now that Riverside County is in the red tier, more of our local businesses that have been badly hurting throughout this pandemic can return indoors,” said Board Vice Chair Karen Spiegel. “As we continue our focus to slow and contain this virus, we must also focus on the recovery of our whole community. Reaching the red tier is an important step towards getting there.”

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday debated replacing the state's tiered system with an accelerated reopening plan that would have wrapped up by Nov. 3, permitting all businesses, houses of worship, offices, wineries and other entities countywide to fully open with health safeguards in place.

However, after several supervisors aired concerns about the need to modify the proposal and verify how much money the state might withhold because the county chose to go its own way, the vote was postponed to Oct. 6. Read more: Defiance Of CA's COVID-19 Framework Delayed In Riverside County

Emergency Management Director Bruce Barton told the board that the county's virus-related hospitalizations have plummeted over the last two months, with no concern now over capacity to treat the ill for any malady. He said the Emergency Operations Center in downtown Riverside had been de-activated but remains in standby mode.

According to the California Department of Public Health, the county has averaged 5.8 cases a day per 100,000 population over the last two weeks, but because COVID-19 testing volumes are below the state median required for a large county, Riverside County has been given an "adjusted rate" of 6.7. That still puts the county below the 7-per-100,000 level needed for tier reassignment. Additional information about the formula can be found at www.covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy.

For weeks, county officials have urged residents to get tested for the virus in an effort to meet all the state thresholds. For more information on free testing available in Riverside County, click here.