Record 1,000 in hospital in county

Exactly 1,000 people with COVID-19 in Riverside County were in hospitals Wednesday, with 212 of them in intensive care. Both are records for the county. There are almost no available ICU beds in Southern California, which are 99.5% full.

Meanwhile, the City of Canyon Lake continues to add alarming numbers to its cases, but its deaths have stabilized at four. Canyon Lake had 61 new cases in one week, making a total of 355 residents who have tested positive for COVID-19.

Riverside County also reported 38 new deaths Wednesday, the second-highest one-day total, only lower than the 42 fatalities reported the day prior.

Southern California is under a stay-home order because of the low ICU availability. When that is lifted, Riverside County will return to a color-coded tier with restrictions based on the other metrics.

The stay home order won’t be lifted, though, until ICU availability improves. With record numbers being admitted to hospitals, it is unlikely the orders will be lifted anytime soon.