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The San Manuel Casino, Augustine Casino and Pechanga Resort Casino announced this weekend that they are voluntarily suspending their operations.

The San Manuel Casino near Highland will close temporarily beginning at 5 p.m. Sunday, and Pechanga Resort Casino near Temecula will close at noon on Monday due to concerns about the coronavirus. Both plan to be closed for business through the end of March.

Both facilities said their employees would continue to receive pay and benefits.

Augustine Casino in Coachella was slated to close its doors at 9 p.m. Sunday. Updates regarding its "imminent" reopening will be communicated online at augustinecasino.com, according to a press release.

“The health and safety of guests and team members remains our highest priority,” said Tribal Chair Amanda Vance in a prepared statement.

These are the first casinos in Riverside or San Bernardino counties to shut down operations entirely. Others in the area announced this week that they were stepping up cleaning protocols and cancelling large events following the governor's guidelines and then orders from local governments to suspend public gatherings of 250 or more people.

"As a Tribal Government and major employer of thousands of people, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily close Pechanga Resort Casino for the health and safety of our Team Members, Tribal Members, and guests due to the COVID-19 pandemic," said Mark Macarro, chairman of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, in a written statement. "No matter what, the Pechanga family will rise to this challenge together with the strength, compassion, determination, and resilience that our ancestors instilled in us."

The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians business committee said in a press release that it thought a temporary closure was the best course of action after consulting with the state.

"As we navigate this uncertain period, we will continue to solicit guidance from the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, San Bernardino County Public Health Department and other relevant authorities. We want to thank our team members, guests, and partners for their patience during this time,” the press release reads.

Public health officials announced Saturday that two more people in the Coachella Valley tested positive for the virus, bringing the total in Riverside County to 14, including 12 cases in the valley.

Risa Johnson covers Native American affairs in the Coachella Valley and beyond. She can be reached at risa.johnson@desertsun.com or (760) 778-4737. Follow her on Twitter @risamjohnson.