COVID-19: Cases up slightly in Coachella Valley, Riverside County as Europe enters new wave

Ema Sasic, Palm Springs Desert Sun
·3 min read

After weeks of consistent declines, COVID-19 cases ticked up slightly in the Coachella Valley and Riverside County, as did countywide hospitalizations.

The nine Coachella Valley cities added 179 new COVID-19 cases in the week ending Thursday. That's an increase of 14% from two weeks ago when there were 157 in the week ending Oct. 4.

Here is a full breakdown of confirmed total cases and deaths by city since the start of the pandemic as of Thursday (with week-over-week changes shown in parentheses):

  • Cathedral City: 13,904 cumulative cases (+31); 152 deaths (+0)

  • Coachella: 14,081 cumulative cases (+21); 122 deaths (+0)

  • Desert Hot Springs: 8,296 cumulative cases (+19); 92 deaths (+0)

  • Indian Wells: 723 cumulative cases (+2); 9 deaths (+0)

  • Indio: 25,140 cumulative cases (+46); 286 deaths (+0)

  • La Quinta: 9,310 cumulative cases (+16); 87 deaths (+0)

  • Palm Desert: 11,084 cumulative cases (+20); 159 deaths (+0)

  • Palm Springs: 9,344 cumulative cases (+15); 164 deaths (+0)

  • Rancho Mirage: 3,236 cumulative cases (+9); 60 deaths (+0)

There were also 18 COVID-19 cases reported in unincorporated communities in the nine days ending Thursday:

  • Bermuda Dunes: 1,746 cumulative cases (+2); 14 deaths (+0)

  • Desert Edge: 785 cumulative cases (+1); 23 deaths (+0)

  • Desert Palms: 907 cumulative cases (+0); 35 deaths (+0)

  • Garnet: 1,818 cumulative cases (+4); 29 deaths (+0)

  • Mecca: 1,848 cumulative cases (+1); 25 deaths (+0)

  • North Shore: 829 cumulative cases (+2); 1 death (+0)

  • Oasis: 1,515 cumulative cases (+0); 11 deaths (+0)

  • Sky Valley: 403 cumulative cases (+1); 6 deaths (+0)

  • Thermal: 473 cumulative cases (+2); 8 deaths (+0)

  • Thousand Palms: 2,045 cumulative cases (+3); 13 deaths (+0)

  • Vista Santa Rosa: 722 cumulative cases (+2); 5 deaths (+0)

In Riverside County, there were 1,098 new COVID-19 cases reported in the week ending Thursday. Similarly, there's been a slight increase — 3% — in cases compared to the 1,067 reported in the week ending Oct. 4.

Last week, the World Health Organization and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control announced Europe appears to be entering another COVID-19 wave as cases begin to rise throughout the continent. Health experts believe the same will occur in the United States in the coming weeks.

As it stands currently, Riverside County has a "low" community transmission level. Under this designation, it's recommended that people stay up to date with their vaccinations and wear facial coverings on public transportation, if they have symptoms, test positive for COVID-19 or are exposed to someone with the virus.

Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego and Imperial counties also have a low transmission level.

As of Thursday, there were 85 patients hospitalized in the county, up by 20 from the previous week. That number includes six individuals in intensive care, an increase of one person compared to the last update.

Eight deaths were reported in the past week, bringing the total to 6,569 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

In Riverside County, 59.9% of residents ages 6 months and older have completed their primary vaccine series, which includes both shots of the Pfizer or both shots of the Moderna vaccines or one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. About 30.1% of the eligible population has been boosted.

The county's COVID-19 dashboard is updated weekly.

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: COVID-19: Cases tick up slightly in Coachella Valley, Riverside County as Europe enters new wave of infections