Coronavirus Claims Moreno Valley Man In His 50s

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Riverside County's coronavirus cases have doubled every four to five days, but Monday saw the numbers jump nearly threefold.

Additionally, another person has died due to complications from the illness — a Moreno Valley man in his 50s. It is not currently known whether he had underlying health conditions, said Brooke Federico, spokesperson for Riverside County.

"I am sure all Moreno Valley residents join me in offering condolences to this person's family and friends," Moreno Valley Mayor Yxstian Gutierrez said. "We expected that coronavirus would eventually claim lives in our city, but each loss is a unique and tragic event that affects many people. Please continue to do the things we know work and we will save lives — stay home, practice social distancing and wash hands regularly."

As of Monday afternoon, there are 291 confirmed cases countywide, and nine deaths. Seven of the fatalities occurred in the Coachella Valley, along with a man in his 70s from Beaumont and the latest death involving the Moreno Valley resident.

A 25-year-old San Diego man, who is not included in the death toll because he is not a Riverside County resident, died in La Quinta due to COVID-19 complications.

The county has been seeing a doubling of COVID-19 cases every four to five days, but Monday's numbers represent a near tripling since Thursday, when confirmed cases were at 107. Federico said the uptick is due to increased community testing.

Riverside leads the way with confirmed COVID-19 cases across the county with 29, followed by Palm Springs with 26 and Temecula with 24.

Like the rest of the nation, the local mortality rate is slightly over 1 percent.

"I just want to be perfectly honest with you, and very clear with you, that we know that the surge isn't even here yet," Fourth District Supervisor Manuel Perez told constituents over Facebook Live last week. "The surge is coming, and we anticipate the surge sometime in mid-April up until early May."

More than 3,000 COVID-19 tests have been conducted at county sites, with a current turnaround time of 24-48 hours, Federico said. She did not have numbers on how many tests have been run through private physicians and labs, but said all positive results are reported to the county.

This week, there will be three county drive-thru COVID-19 test sites in operation. Since March 19, a test site at the Diamond Stadium in Lake Elsinore has been open. A second site at Southwest Church in Indian Wells has been underway since March 17 but is currently being relocated to the Riverside County Fairgrounds in Indio. The reopening is set for Tuesday, March 31.

A third site was announced Monday — testing at Harvest Christian Fellowship church in Riverside will begin Wednesday, April 1 (6115 Arlington Avenue).

Those who want to be tested at any of the sites can call 800-945-6171 for an appointment. In order to get tested you must have symptoms, and you must have an appointment before showing up at the church parking lot. Drive-ups without appointments cannot be accommodated. Appointments for the Lake Elsinore site can also be made online by going to www.projectbaseline.com/study/covid-19

“Riverside County continues to offer more options for residents to get tested,” said Vice Chair Karen Spiegel, Second District Supervisor. “This third drive-up location will help ensure that those who have symptoms, have options to get tested.”

Medical personnel began arriving Monday to staff a newly completed field hospital at the Riverside County Fairgrounds in Indio, with non-ICU patients expected to soon follow.

Members of the California National Guard converted two existing buildings on the property into a 125-bed temporary hospital to be staffed by 30 to 40 doctors, nurses, technicians and volunteers.

Another temporary hospital will soon be set up in western RiversideCounty. That site will have another 125 beds, but specific information, including the location, has not yet been released.

—City News Service contributed to this report.

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