The Los Angeles Post

State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts

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SACRAMENTO –The California Department of Public Health today announced the most recent statistics on COVID-19. California now has 37,369 confirmed cases and 1,469
deaths.


Testing in California
As of April 22, more than 482,097 tests had been conducted in California. All results have been received and none are pending. These numbers include data California has received from commercial, private and academic labs, including Quest, LabCorp, Kaiser, University of California and Stanford, and the 22 state and county health labs currently testing.

Beginning April 23, the Department is reporting all tests reported in California, rather than the total number of individuals tested. As a result, today’s testing numbers are significantly higher than yesterday (308,700). As new laboratories begin to test for COVID-19, some have had delays in reporting to the state. To resolve this issue, and to ensure this data is as complete as possible and reflects the state’s entire testing capacity, the Department is contacting laboratories directly to assess the completeness of reporting and to gather additional testing data if needed.

In addition, laboratories have been working through their backlogs of tests awaiting processing, and the backlog has been reduced. This helps ensure we can meet the additional demand expected from broadening testing guidelines and opening 86 additional sample collection sites across California.

Racial Demographics – A More Complete Picture
The California Department of Public Health is committed to health equity and collecting more detailed racial and ethnic data that will provide additional understanding for determining future action. Health outcomes are affected by forces including structural racism, poverty and the disproportionate prevalence of underlying conditions such as asthma and heart disease among Latinos and Black Californians. Only by looking at the full picture can we understand how to ensure the best outcomes for all Californians.

 

The differences in health outcomes are most stark in our COVID-19 death rates. We have nearly complete data on deaths, and we are seeing these trends. Overall, for adults 18 and older, Latinos, African Americans and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are dying at disproportionately higher rates. African Americans in particular are experiencing the highest death rate, about double their population representation across all adult age categories. More men are dying from COVID-19 than females, in line with national trends, with the notable exception of Asian females 65+ where the difference is significantly higher.

For additional information, please visit this webpage.

Health Care Worker Infection Rates
As of April 22, local health departments have reported 4,153 confirmed positive cases in health care workers. This includes on-the-job exposures, and other exposures, such as travel and close family contact. As testing capacity continues to increase, and more tests are being conducted directly in physician’s offices and processed through commercial laboratories, local public health officials will not be able to report the source of exposure for every affected health care worker.

How People Can Protect Themselves
Every person has a role to play. Protecting yourself and your family comes down to common sense: 

  • Stay home except for essential needs/activities.
  • Practice social distancing.
  • Wear a cloth face mask if you leave home.
  • Wash hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Cover a cough or sneeze with your sleeve, or disposable tissue. Wash your hands afterward.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay away from work, school or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.
  • Follow guidance from public health officials.

What to Do if You Think You’re Sick
Call ahead: If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough or shortness of breath) and may have had contact with a person with COVID-19, or recently traveled to countries with apparent community spread, call your health care provider before seeking medical care so that appropriate precautions can be taken.