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With the novelty and panic of widespread closures wearing off and the reality of life under California's stay-at-home order setting in, Coachella Valley residents and businesses have started preparing for the long-term implications of the coronavirus pandemic.

At the Riverside County Fairgrounds in Indio, where the work is expected to start Wednesday, health officials said they will set up one of two federal medical stations that will add 250 beds to the county's hospital system.

Riverside County officials, including Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, will speak to media at 11 a.m. Wednesday about the facility.

The construction of a federal medical station comes as the number of confirmed Riverside County coronavirus cases jumped to 59 on Tuesday, while the death toll held at six. Out of the 11 new reported cases, three were from the Coachella Valley, county spokesperson Brooke Federico said.

And, as the number of cases grew, the city of Palm Springs expanded its containment measures, issuing a temporary moratorium that bans vacation rentals and hotel stays for all visitors except those designated as part of the "critical infrastructure workforce" — or if the facility is being used as part of the COVID-19 response.

Any and all bookings through April 30 should be canceled, and no new reservations can be accepted until after the city's emergency declaration has officially ended. Longer rentals of 30 days or more at such facilities are also prohibited,

Rental owners found in violation of the order can be fined $5,000 for the first offense.

City Manager David Ready said in a news release that "visitors currently staying in a vacation rental, homeshare or hotel should return to their home community immediately and shelter in place." Or, they are directed to remain sheltered in place in the unit, according to Tuesday’s order.

“The health and safety of Palm Springs residents is our top priority,” Ready said. “We continue to strongly urge our residents, unless they are an essential worker, to stay home and shelter in place per our emergency declaration mandate.”

County adding 250 beds to alleviate demand on hospital beds

Health and emergency management officials announced on Tuesday afternoon that 250 beds will be added to the county's hospital system, in the form of two 125-bed federal medical stations.

The stations will be used for stable patients and allow county hospitals to respond to more critical patients.

Beginning Wednesday, the California National Guard will be in Indio to build the station inside an existing fairground building. The station will include beds, sheets, portable sinks, medication and personal protective equipment, such as masks, gloves and gowns, according to the county.

In a statement, Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Palm Desert, said he was recently briefed on the site Army Corps of Engineers and the State Department of Health and Human Services.

"We will work together as federal, state and county partners to create a state-managed operation to augment county and local hospital surge capacity," he said.

A second facility will be built in western Riverside County. Its location has not been announced.

"We know we’ll have more cases and some of them will be serious," Riverside County Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said in a statement. "This medical station will relieve stress from our hospitals, allowing them to better provide higher levels of care for our sickest individuals, and get more people on the way to recovery faster."

Approximately 80 people will work in the two locations.

Mayes assuages concerns of local businesses, says answers are coming

California Assemblyman Chad Mayes, I-Rancho Mirage, updated local business leaders at a digital town hall on Tuesday morning as the spread of coronavirus — and state and local officials efforts to contain it — continues to wreak havoc on the regional economy.

"While this is a public health crisis, and we need to do everything we can to make sure people are safe and healthy, there's also deep concern about the economic impact," he told members of the Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Since the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and its country music counterpart Stagecoach were cancelled two weeks ago on March 10, the environment in which it operates and the restrictions placed on the business community have changed rapidly.

After outlining the small business loans and unemployment relief programs available in California, Mayes had few answers to chamber members' questions about how the state plans to address new difficulties that have arisen amid the coronavirus pandemic. He implored business owners to call him on his personal cell phone to voice their worries.

"There's just a lot of uncertainty, today, and I understand that," he said, "but I do think we all will rise to the occasion."

The effects of containment measures on the California's $140 billion tourism industry will be magnified in the Coachella Valley, where the millions of tourists who visit each year sustain industries including hotels, restaurants, retail, golf courses, car rentals, housing and construction.

About one in four jobs are sustained by tourism and related industries, according to 2017 analysis conducted by the Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau. Tourists spend $5.5 billion annually in the Coachella Valley's nine cities, the report says, and the industry generated $1.6 billion in annual income for regional businesses.

Palm Springs, La Quinta and Rancho Mirage close parks

Palm Springs, La Quitna and Rancho Mirage announced on Tuesday that some park facilities will be closed in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus.

In Palm Springs, golf courses, playgrounds, ball fields and athletic courts have been ordered to shut down temporarily while parks and trails remain open. People are encouraged to maintain social distancing of 6 feet

“The health and safety of Palm Springs residents is our top priority,” Ready said in a statement. “We ask that our community abide by this order and appreciate your cooperation during this difficult time as we work to flatten the curve and stop the spread of coronavirus in the Coachella Valley.”

La Quinta also issued an executive order shuttering public and private parks — including skate parks, dog parks, playground equipment, tennis courts and pickleball courts.

"We’re being very proactive. We’re certainly taking a little bit of heat for it, but I think this is a time we all have to do our part to be responsible,” City Manager Jon McMillen said.

Rancho Mirage officials said the city's dog park has been closed. The gym, playground equipment and outdoor courts at Rancho Mirage Community Park are also closed.

Cases increase in nearby counties

As the number of cases climbs in Riverside County, nearby Imperial and San Bernardino counties are also seeing increases.

San Bernardino County reported 21 additional cases on Tuesday, bringing its total to 38. It also reported its first coronavirus-related death.

The county said it expected more cases as test results come back.

Home to nearly 180,000 people, Imperial County reported six cases as of Monday night. Thirty-seven people tested negative for the virus, while another 30 are waiting for results, according to the county.

Virus spreads to Southern California military bases

The Marine Corps announced on Tuesday that it had created a task force to monitor the coronavirus, which had infected soldiers at bases in Southern California. Its daily operations will be managed out of Camp Pendleton, which also has a facility for quarantining soldiers who have tested positive for the virus.