Inland Empire counties report highest ever one-day jump in coronavirus cases

Riverside County and San Bernardino County this week reported their highest ever one-day increase in coronavirus cases. On Thursday, Riverside added 516 cases to their total count, and the San Bernardino count jumped by 440 cases.

Both Inland Empire counties beat out records set earlier in the week. Riverside County’s previous one-day record was set on Tuesday with 409 cases, while San Bernardino’s previous heigh was 281, reported on the same day.

“Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, protests — there’s no one event or no one occasion that we can point to” for the uptick in cases, said Felisa Cardona, a spokesperson from San Bernardino.

Riverside County has now recorded a total of 12,467 coronavirus cases and 408 related deaths, the county reported. The hardest-hit areas include the city of Riverside, with a total of 1,854 cases, followed by Moreno Valley with 1,060, Indio with 894 and Coachella with 791.

The highest per-resident concentration of cases lies near La Quinta, where 3.6% of Thermal residents have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said. Cases and deaths in that area continue to increase faster than in any other Riverside County region.

Riverside County has administered over 170,000 total tests, of which about 7.9% have yielded positive results for the coronavirus, officials said.

As of Thursday, 285 people remained hospitalized with the coronavirus in the county, a 10.9% increase from the previous day, officials said. There were 75 COVID-confirmed patients being treated in intensive care units.

Though the number of patients treated in the hospital has grown, fewer patients are being treated in the ICU, officials. About 80 patients were treated in intensive care during late April and early May.

In San Bernardino County, there were a total of 8,454 coronavirus cases and 230 related deaths, officials said. The city of San Bernardino reported the largest number of cases, with 1,348. Other hard-hit regions include Chino with 1,139 cases, Fontana with 901 and Ontario with 797. Death counts are highest in Redlands, 37, and Ontario, 30.

Of the almost 100,000 coronavirus tests administered, 8.5% have turned out positive, officials said. More tests were given Thursday than ever before, which Cardona says could be a reason for the increased case count.

In San Bernardino County, there were 229 confirmed coronavirus patients and 64 suspected coronavirus patients who were hospitalized, officials said. This is the highest-ever number of confirmed patients in San Bernardino County hospitals. About 90 coronavirus patients are being treated in ICU beds.