Cactus Hugs has been tracking local stories about the coronavirus.   For a rundown of all of our updates, click here. Stay safe, stay at a good social distance. Thank you for your continued support of Cactus Hugs. For ways to keep this website going (and free!), click here.

As of 3 pm Thursday, Riverside County officials have confirmed:

• 51,734 people have officially tested positive for COVID-19.  196 people have been reported positive since Friday.
• 997 people are confirmed to have died in the county from the coronavirus. The county reported 13 new deaths in the last 24 hours.

Here’s the latest from the Coachella Valley:

August 27 — #COVID19 in the #CoachellaValley (+/- from day before):

13,301 confirmed cases (+34)
+515 last 7 days

301 deaths (+1)
+11 last 7 days

Fewer new cases this week, but also (countywide) fewer new tests reported:

26,952 last 7 days
40,456 in the 7 days before that pic.twitter.com/SmqJ9h49Du

— Kevin Duncliffe (@kevinduncliffe) August 27, 2020

Wednesday — #COVID19 patients in #CoachellaValley hospitals (+/- from Tuesday):

51 confirmed (-7)
26 suspected (+6)

77 TOTAL (-1)
-24 from last Wednesday, down 24%

16 of confirmed/suspected patients are in ICU (+1) pic.twitter.com/kKi8xlZ8PW

— Kevin Duncliffe (@kevinduncliffe) August 27, 2020

As of 4 pm Thursday, San Bernardino County has confirmed:

• 46,407 people have officially tested positive for COVID-19.
• 715 people are confirmed to have died in the county from the coronavirus.

As of 4 pm Thursday, the State of California has confirmed:

• 689,405 people have official tested positive for COVID-19.
• 12,618 people are confirmed to have died in the state of CA from the coronavirus.

Guests start taking their seats 3 1/2 hours before the 1030pm speech by Pres Trump. His campaign says a leading medical firm was hired to ensure that "certain proper protocols" are in place for the health and safety of GOP convention venues. pic.twitter.com/5fDRMJ62Dp

— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) August 27, 2020

A senior administration official said the White House Coronavirus Task Force was not consulted about convention plans for President Trump's speech tonight on the White House South Lawn.

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) August 27, 2020

CNN: 180,000 people in the United States have died from coronavirus.

— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) August 27, 2020

North Carolina State University is telling a majority of students who live on campus to move out by September 6 due to what the chancellor says is a "rapid spread" of coronavirus cases https://t.co/027WyNbw5v pic.twitter.com/DVWPspE8Xk

— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) August 27, 2020

After reopening the economy in May, California saw a five-fold increase in coronavirus death rates among Latinos of working age over the past three months.  The report states,  “as the coronavirus works its deadly way into every nook and cranny of California’s population, its victims’ profiles become clearer and clearer: they are the unsung essential workers” such as the “farm workers who feed California, truck drivers who transport the state’s goods, meat and vegetable packers, the grocery industry’s shelf stockers and checkout clerks, construction workers, automobile mechanics, gardeners and landscapers, bus drivers, office cleaners, nursing home attendants, and others who toil day and night to keep California functioning.”

A rapid coronavirus test was given emergency approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for its $5 rapid antigen test, which the manufacture claims can detect a COVID-19 infection in 15 minutes.

While the general rule touted by officials has been to stay six feet apart, some experts now say that after learning more about COVID-19, crowd density, ventilation, face masks and whether people are silent, speaking, shouting or singing should all be considered in assessing the proper safe distance during the pandemic.

Those who qualify for an extra $300 in federal unemployment benefits will begin to see  payments processed after the Labor Day weekend in California, according to the Employment Development Department.  Those eligible will receive a minimum of three weeks and payments will be processed after September 7.

Job hunting is never easy, but especially during the coronavirus pandemic.  The Daily Bulletin talked to some experts who offered up advice on acing Zoom job interviews.

Starting Friday, those wishing to enter Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa near Cabazon will need an actual face mask (and not a bandana, gaiters or masks with valves in them):

REMINDER that our new MASK guidelines are effective Friday, August 28th! Please note that valves, vents, bandanas, or gaiters will no longer be allowed at Morongo. Thank you for wearing your mask and playing it #Safe . pic.twitter.com/CIegxXGQ7U

— Morongo Casino (@MorongoCasino) August 27, 2020

A few months ago, downtown LA was bustling.  The LA Times checked in on what it’s like today and found it’s almost like a ghost town.

Legoland California will host a news conference on Friday with San Diego county and city officials who will call for the park and other business to be allowed to open. California theme parks have now been closed for five months.

Finally…

I think we all need this today..#InternationalDogDay
🎥 IG: samsonthedood pic.twitter.com/mSDrG1kEAb

— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden_) August 26, 2020

Stay cool.  Stay safe.  Wear a mask.

Thank you for your continued support of Cactus Hugs.

Anything we missed? Let us know about it.