The Imperial County Public Health Department updated the numbers for the COVID-19 situation in the Valley Tuesday evening.

The bad news , the death toll from the virus has risen from 23 to 24. The good news , the number of active cases dropped by 69. Tuesday evenings update showed that the number of positive cases increased by 116 going from 1,236 to 1,352. The active cases dropped from 688 on Monday to 619 on the Tuesday update. That's a decrease of 69. Individuals who have recovered from the virus went from 525 to 709 , an increase of 184. 

Tuesday afternoon the county held a press conference to announce that , in accordance with recommendations from the state , retail stores I Imperial County are now able to open with in-store sales , as long as they follow the required guidelines. Houses of worship will also be able to hold services but , again there are restrictions and guidelines that must be met. A recording of the press conference is available as a podcast on the KXO website www.kxoradio.com and on the KXO Radio Facebook page. 

Imperial County Health Officer Dr. Stephan Munday reminded residents that facial coverings are still required in Imperial County as is the need to maintain social distancing.