Inland areas reach state’s reopening threshold
Both Inland counties would have moved into the yellow tier of the state’s reopening plan Tuesday, had the tier system not disappeared, state data shows.
After weeks of waiting for their respective rates of new coronavirus cases per day per 100,000 residents to stay below 2.0 for two consecutive weeks, Tuesday was the day San Bernardino and Riverside counties reached that milestone.
Los Angeles County has had yellow-tier metrics for about six weeks.
The tier system ended Tuesday, as businesses opened to full capacity and state mandates shifted.
Nevertheless, the three key figures state officials used to track the risk of transmitting the virus were low enough in both Inland counties to consider the risk minimal.
“As we eagerly reopen and more residents return to these long-awaited for activities, let’s savor life and focus on recovery,” Riverside County Supervisor Karen Spiegel said in a news release.
Other Southern California officials heralded the day, too.
“I know so many of us will forever grieve the family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors we’ve lost,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a news release. “We share in your heartbreak, and we know that the path to recovery will be a very difficult one for so many. After 16 months of enormous upheaval and loss, we can now move forward with a genuine sense of hope.”
As of Monday, 61 patients were battling the disease in San Bernardino County — the most since May 31. Riverside County also saw a rise in hospitalizations Monday, with 41, the most since May 28.
While Los Angeles County passed 10 million vaccine doses last week, Riverside County is approaching 2 million shots given. San Bernardino County recently surpassed 1.6 million doses administered.
Here are the latest numbers as of Tuesday, according to county and state public health officials.
24% from a week earlier.
• Tests: 3,333,884 total, up 3,481 from Monday, averaging 5,076 reported per day in the past week.
• Resolved cases (estimate): 293,622 total, up 33 from Monday, averaging 31 per day in the past week.
• Vaccinations: San Bernardino County residents have received 1,601,931 doses, with 146,039 people partially vaccinated and another 751,346 fully vaccinated, as of Monday. The number of residents who have received at least one dose is up 18,970 in the past week.
State metrics: The state did away with the color-coded tier system and most coronavirus restrictions Tuesday, but released numbers that show San Bernardino County would have moved into the yellow tier, meaning the virus poses minimal risk:
• New cases per day per 100,000 residents: 1.2
• Case rate adjusted for testing volume: 1.2
• Test positivity rate: 0.8%
• Test positivity rate in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods: 1.2%
Riverside County
• Confirmed cases: 301,420 total, up 91 from Monday, averaging 42 reported per day in the past week
• Deaths: 4,622 total, up two from Monday, averaging one reported per day in the past week
• Hospital survey: 41 confirmed and 18 suspected patients hospitalized Monday, including nine confirmed and one suspected patient in the ICU, with 18 of 21 facilities reporting. The number of confirmed patients is up 28% from a week earlier.
• Tests: 3,202,750 total, up 4,386 from Monday, averaging 5,178 reported per day in the past week
• Recovered cases: 295,996 total, down five from Monday, averaging 46 per day in the past week
• Vaccinations: Riverside County residents have received 1,937,071 doses, with 177,697 people partially vaccinated and another 906,403 fully vaccinated, as of Monday. The number of residents who have received at least one dose is up 19,957 in the past week.
State metrics: The state did away with the color-coded tier system and
most coronavirus restrictions Tuesday, but released numbers that show Riverside County would have moved into the yellow tier, meaning the virus currently poses minimal risk:
• New cases per day per 100,000 residents: 1.5
• Case rate adjusted for testing volume: 1.5
• Test positivity: 1.1%
• Test positivity rate in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods: 1.2%
Los Angeles County
• Confirmed cases: 1,246,640 total, up 188 from Monday, averaging 173 reported per day in the past week
• Deaths: 24,417 total, up one from Monday, averaging two reported per day in the past week
• Hospital survey: 216 confirmed and 74 suspected patients hospitalized Monday, including 49 confirmed and four suspected patients in the ICU, with 89 of 92 facilities reporting. The number of confirmed patients is down 11% from a week earlier.
• People tested: About 6,910,000 total, up about 8,000 from Monday, averaging 11,000 reported per day in the past week
• Vaccinations: L.A. County residents have received 10,138,865 doses, with 878,941 people partially vaccinated and another 4,809,108 fully vaccinated, as of Monday. The number of residents who have received at least one dose is up 111,814 in the past week.
State metrics: The state did away with the color-coded tier system and most coronavirus restrictions Tuesday, but released numbers that show L.A. County would have stayed in the yellow tier, meaning the virus currently poses minimal risk:
• New cases per day per 100,000 residents: 1.5
• Case rate adjusted for testing volume: 0.7
• Test positivity rate: 0.4%
•T est positivity rate in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods: 0.4%
This includes the latest numbers from L.A. County Public Health as well as Long Beach and Pasadena, which have their own health departments.