Skilled nursing facilities in Riverside Co. report over 650 COVID-19 cases among residents, staff

RIVERSIDE, CA - APRIL 08: A patient at the Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Riverside is evacuated to a waiting ambulance Wednesday morning April 8, 2020. Employees of the facility, with 39 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, did n (Getty Images)

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in skilled nursing facilities continues to increase across Southern California.

Riverside County now has more than 650 confirmed coronavirus cases among the patients and staff of nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the county.

COVID-19 cases were reported at 40 of the county’s 53 skilled nursing facilities. Those facilities reported a total of 414 cases, according to a Riverside County news release. Additionally, 49 patients at 14 assisted living facilities in the county have tested positive for the virus.

RELATED: Stay up to date on all coronavirus-related information

A total of 211 staff members at skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in Riverside County have tested positive for the virus.

The outbreaks at these facilities became so bad, that three weeks ago, 84 patients at the Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Riverside were evacuated after staff failed to show up to care for the sick patients two days in a row.

RELATED: 84 nursing home residents in Riverside evacuated after employees don't show up for work

“We have known since the beginning of this response that congregate care facilities would provide one of the biggest challenges,” said Kim Saruwatari, director of Riverside County public health. 

In response to the growing number of cases at these types of facilities, Riverside County created four Skilled Nursing Facilities + Outreach Support (SOS) teams, which consist of workers from American Medical Response, behavioral health and other healthcare partners who could be involved in-patient care. 

The teams target specific regions in the county and "work with staff members at each facility to demonstrate proper safety techniques, provide proper safety gear and educate them about COVID-19 to dispel rumors and correct erroneous information," according to Riverside County officials.

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As of Sunday, the SOS teams have visited 144 facilities, and done follow up visits with 10.

Using reporting guidelines by the California Department of Public Health, the county released the following list of facilities with positive faces. These guidelines mean that exact numbers are only listed for locations with at least 11 confirmed cases among residents or staff. Facilities with fewer than 11 cases, will be posted as <11 cases.

1. Community Care and Rehabilitation Center, Riverside
      • Patients – 87
      • Staff – 48
2. Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Riverside
      • Patients – 49
      • Staff – 26
3. Highland Springs Care Center, Beaumont
      • Patients – 47
      • Staff – 20
4. Extended Care Hospital of Riverside
      • Patients – 38
      • Staff – 32
5. Manor Care Health Services, Hemet
      • Patients – 37
      • Staff – 42
6. Cypress Gardens Care Center, Riverside
      • Patients – 31
      • Staff – 15
7. Ramona Rehabilitation and Post Acute Care Center, Hemet
      • Patients – 22
      • Staff – 11
8. Valencia Gardens Health Care Center, Riverside
      • Patients – 19
      • Staff – <11
9. The Palms at La Quinta
      • Patients – 13
      • Staff – 0
10. Raincross at Riverside
      • Patients – 12
      • Staff – <11
11. Renaissance Village Rancho Belago, Moreno Valley
      • Patients – <11
      • Staff – <11
12. Rancho Belago Residential Care, Moreno Valley
      • Patients – <11 (These patients were transferred from Magnolia  Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.)
      • Staff – 0