Riverside County reports 148 new coronavirus cases, 3 new deaths on Wednesday

Riverside County reported 148 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, increasing the county's total to 8,303 confirmed COVID-19 cases. 

The county also reported 3 additional deaths, bringing the county's virus-related death toll to 345.

Riverside County has the second highest confirmed cases of any county in the state behind Los Angeles County at 57,118 cases and 2,443 deaths. San Diego County has the third highest at 7,674 cases and 276 deaths. 

Riverside County eclipsed 8,000 cases on Tuesday, eight days after reaching 7,000 on May 25. It's been a consistent growth when compared to the dates the county reached the other 1,000-case milestones, usually adding a 1,000 cases in about 7 or 8 days each time. 

The county reached 1,000 cases on April 7; 2,000 on April 15; 3,000 cases on April 22; 4,000 cases on April 30; 5,000 cases on May 10; 6,000 cases on May 19; and 7,000 cases on May 25.

About 39% of cases  — 3,204 — are among people between the ages of 40 and 64.  Confirmed cases among females are estimated at about 4,000, while the number of male patients is estimated at 3,900.

Currently, 211 patients are hospitalized, including 66 in intensive care. Additionally, officials said 4,897 people have recovered in the county, which is 94 more patients than Tuesday. 

Riverside County has confirmed about 343 cases per 100,000 people. That's on par with the statewide frequency. In total, the county and private labs within the county have done 125,268 tests. Statewide, 2,131,294 tests have been conducted, according to the California Department of Public Health.

According to the New York Times, infectious disease experts believe the nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd last week could start a second wave of infections. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti warned protests could be come “super-spreader events." 

Here's a look at cases and increases in the Coachella Valley:

There were 47 new cases and one new death reported in the Coachella Valley's nine cities reported on Wednesday. That new death was in the city of Rancho Mirage.

• Cathedral City: 176 cases (+5) and 4 deaths  
• Coachella: 369 cases (+12) and 6 deaths 
• Desert Hot Springs: 92 cases (+1) and 1 death
• Indian Wells: 14 cases and 0 deaths 
• Indio: 447 (+19) cases and 8 deaths  
• La Quinta: 143 cases (+1) and 9 deaths 
• Palm Desert: 198 cases (+7) and 23 deaths 
• Palm Springs: 151 cases (+2) and 11 deaths 
• Rancho Mirage: 42 cases and 4 deaths (+1)
• Unincorporated communities: Bermuda Dunes: 7 cases and 0 deaths; Desert Edge: 5 cases and 0 deaths; Desert Palms: 10 cases  and 0 deaths; Garnet: 18 cases and 0 deaths; Mecca: 71 (+7) cases and 3 deaths; North Shore: 23 cases and 0 deaths; Oasis: 44 cases (+1) and 0 deaths; Sky Valley: 2 cases and 0 deaths; Thermal: 28 cases (+1) and 0 deaths; Thousand Palms: 16 cases and 0 deaths; Vista Santa Rosa: 21 cases and 1 death.
• State of California: 117,687 cases, 4,361 deaths according to data released Wednesday. 

Desert Sun reporter Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com or on Twitter at @bblueskye. Support local news, subscribe to The Desert Sun.