Inland Empire on doorstep of restrictions being eased

About a week after advancing to the state’s red tier, Inland Empire counties continued Tuesday to see a downward trend in coronavirus numbers.

In Riverside County, cases reached a level that would loosen more business restrictions if they remain at that level for at least two more weeks. Cases rose by 287, and 23 more deaths were reported Tuesday, according to the county.

Riverside County reached the red tier March 17. The county can move into the less-restrictive orange tier under California’s safe reopening plan if the number of new cases, percent of people testing positive and percent testing positive in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods all

remain at or below their current level.

The situation was similar for San Bernardino County, where 46 new cases and 12 more deaths were recorded.

The county came close, but didn’t meet the mark to qualify for the orange, or moderate risk, tier. San Bernardino County’s adjusted case rate is 4.0, according to the public health dashboard. San Bernardino County moved to the red tier March 14.

In Los Angeles County, virus case rates dropped Tuesday below the level needed to qualify for the orange tier, if they can be maintained. Public health officials said that’s possible by early April.

Here are the numbers as of Tuesday, according to state and county public health officials:

Riverside County

• Confirmed cases: 293,436 total, up 287 from Monday, averaging 148 reported per day in the past week.

• Deaths: 4,164 total, up 23 from Monday, averaging 21.9 reported per day in the past week

• Hospital survey: 149 confirmed and 25 suspected patients hospitalized Monday, including 28 confirmed and two suspected patients in the ICU, with 19 of 21 facilities reporting. The number of confirmed patients is down 20.7% from a week earlier.

• Tests: 2,655,513 total,

up 4,132 from Monday, averaging 7,430 reported per day in the past week.

• Recovered cases: 285,861 total, up 56 from Monday, averaging 224 per day in the past week.

• Vaccinations: The county says 820,986 doses have been administered to Riverside County residents, with 264,790 people fully vaccinated, as of Monday. Due to technical issues with the statewide vaccine data system, the number of doses administered was not updated as of Tuesday afternoon.

• Test positivity rate: 2.7% (2.9% in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods).

San Bernardino County

• Confirmed cases: 289,892 total, up 46 from

Monday, averaging 137 reported per day in the past week.

• Deaths: 3,704 total, up 12 from Monday, averaging 24.7 reported per day in the past week.

• Hospital survey: 164 confirmed and 22 suspected patients hospitalized Monday, including 37 confirmed and one suspected patient in the ICU, with 24 of 25 facilities reporting. The number of confirmed patients is down 11.4% from a week earlier.

• Tests: 2,649,578 total, up 4,226 from Monday, averaging 7,452 reported per day in the past week.

• Resolved cases (estimate): 284,877 total, up 82 from Monday, averaging 141 per day in the past week.

• Vaccinations: San Bernardino County residents have received 575,363 vaccine doses, with 206,566 people fully vaccinated.

• Test positivity rate: 2.3% (2.6% in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods).

Los Angeles County

• Confirmed cases: 1,215,179 total, up 421 from Monday, averaging 603 reported per day in the past week.

• Deaths: 22,879 total, up 64 from Monday, averaging 51 reported per day in the past week.

• Hospital survey: 719 confirmed and 140 suspected patients hospitalized Monday, including 180 confirmed and 28 suspected patients in the ICU, with 91 of 92 facilities reporting. The number of confirmed patients is down 16.1% from a week earlier.

• People tested: About 6,022,000 total, up about 4,000 from Monday, averaging 9,000 reported per day in the past week.

• Vaccinations: The county says 3.23 million doses, including 1,057,794 second doses, have been administered as of March

17.

• Test positivity rate: 1.8% (2.5% in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods).

This includes the latest numbers from L.A. County Public Health as well as Long Beach and Pasadena, which have their own health departments and are typically at least a day ahead of the county in reporting their cities’ cases and deaths.