RIVERSIDE (CNS) - Riverside County reported 643 new cases of COVID-19 and 40 additional deaths Wednesday, while health officials also confirmed the first local case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 first discovered in the United Kingdom.The case was reported to Riverside County health officials over the weekend, according to county Executive Office spokeswoman Brooke Federico. She did not specify the region in which the case originated."It was inevitable we would see this strain in Riverside County, and in our large population we will probably see others," county Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said. "But it doesn't change the need for people to take precautions with facial coverings, social distancing and good hygiene. It works for other things and it works for this, too."
