Riverside County health officials reported 218 newly confirmed coronavirus cases Wednesday, and two more fatalities, bringing the countywide totals to 4,672 cases and 186 deaths.
Of the 207 county residents who are hospitalized with COVID-19 — the disease caused by the virus — 84 are being treated in intensive care units, nine more than Tuesday, according to the Riverside University Health System.
The number of documented recoveries is 2,025, up by 28 from Tuesday.
Riverside County has the second-highest number of confirmed cases and deaths in the state, behind Los Angeles County.
The updated figures came a day after the Board of Supervisors postponed taking any action on ending coronavirus-related restrictions imposed by the Riverside County public health officer, citing a lack of consensus. The board instead opted to wait until after Gov. Gavin Newsom announces how the state plans to proceed with reopening businesses, which is expected to be announced Thursday.
The 5-0 vote Tuesday to reconvene for a special session at 1 p.m. Friday followed an eight-hour meeting with more than 100 speakers appearing in person and addressing the board by telephone.
Board Chairman Manuel Perez and Supervisor Karen Spiegel originally proposed ending requirements on social distancing, use of face coverings, ongoing limitations on playing golf, keeping schools closed and barring short-term rentals, except in cases of providing emergency shelter for vulnerable persons.
County Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser signed orders last week keeping the regulations in place until June 19. By dropping them, the county would align with state mandates and no longer have measures that are more austere.
Perez backed off his earlier support, saying it would not be in the county’s favor to “abandon guidance” from Kaiser and Riverside University Health System staff. He said he felt continuing some restrictions might fit “hand in glove” with whatever Newsom does this week to ease the statewide stay-at-home order.
Spiegel was of the same opinion and retreated from her original position.
Newsom said Monday a relaxation in state restrictions was in the works, with certain categories of businesses eligible to re-open this week.
Supervisor Jeff Hewitt was prepared to nullify all of the county’s ongoing restrictions.
“It feels like we’re debating how to inflate the inflatable life raft when there are already so many people drowning,” Hewitt said, removing his face mask, which Supervisor Kevin Jeffries also did.
“There are horrible tragedies for business owners and employees,” Hewitt said. “We are not gods of who opens and who doesn’t. Let the extreme intelligence of our nation and county do this.”
Hewitt denounced data put before the public on the severity of the coronavirus, noting that the figures cited by Kaiser and other RUHS staff had been “greatly exaggerated.”
Hewitt’s sentiments were echoed by Sheriff Chad Bianco and Treasurer-Tax Collector Jon Christensen, both of whom advocated ending county-level restrictions.
County officials on Tuesday announced eight new state-funded coronavirus testing sites are set to open this week throughout Riverside 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 by OptumServe, a private company. The new sites will not replace four drive-up testing sites run by county public health officials in Perris, Indio, Riverside and Lake Elsinore, which remain operational.
As of Wednesday afternoon, 63,399 Riverside County residents have been tested, which accounts for slightly more than 2% of the county’s population of nearly 2.5 million.