Los Angeles County Announces 29 New Deaths Related to 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

694 New Cases of Confirmed COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 29 new deaths and 694 new cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Twenty-four people who died were over the age of 65 years old, four people who died were between the ages of 41 to 65 years old and one person between the ages of 18 to 40 years old. Sixteen people had underlying health conditions including 14 people over the age of 65 years old, one person between the ages of 41 to 65 years old and one person between the ages of 18 to 40 years old.

To date, Public Health has identified 37,974 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of LA County, and a total of 1,821 deaths. Ninety-two percent of people who died had underlying health conditions. Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 1,688 people (99 percent of the cases); 39% of deaths occurred among Latinx residents, 29% among White residents, 18% among Asian residents, 12% among African American residents, 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other races. Upon further investigation, 23 cases and one death reported earlier were not LA County residents.

As of today, 5,816 people who tested positive for COVID-19 (16% of positive cases) have been hospitalized at some point during their illness. There are 1,648 people who are currently hospitalized, 26% of these people are in the ICU and 19% are on ventilators. Testing capacity continues to increase in LA County, with testing results available for over 309,000 individuals and 11% of people testing positive.

The Health Officer Order issued earlier this week, replaced the previous Health Officer Order and allows for retailers and manufacturers, select recreational facilities, and beaches to reopen. All retailers can reopen for curbside, door-side, outside pickup, or delivery only and manufacturing and logistic businesses that supply retail businesses can also reopen. Before retail businesses, manufacturing and logistic businesses reopen, they are required to prepare, implement and post their plan for adhering to directives including distancing and infection control practices that protect both employees and customers. Select recreational facilities, community gardens, and beaches for active recreation are now open. Everyone must continue to practice staying at least six feet apart and wearing a clean cloth face covering that securely covers both your nose and mouth when you are in contact with other people not in your household. This Order continues to require that specific higher-risk businesses remain closed and prohibits public and private gatherings of any number of people outside of a single household unit.

“To the many people experiencing the profound sadness of losing someone they love to COVID-19, we are deeply sorry.  You are in our thoughts and prayers through these difficult times,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “More people will be out of their homes now that we are in the early stages of our recovery journey, and this means there will be more chances of coming in contact with asymptomatic people who are infected with COVID-19.  If you have an underlying health condition – like chronic lung disease, asthma, a serious heart condition, HIV, or another condition that affects your immune system – it is so important that you continue to do your best to stay home as much as possible, avoid close contact with others, and if you begin to feel sick contact your provider immediately. It’s also a good idea to talk to employers and friends and let them know you are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19.”

Public Health will assess the activities allowed by the Order on an ongoing basis and modify the Order as appropriate. Residents will also be able to track progress on the Recovery Dashboard. Currently, LA County is in stage two of the five-stage Roadmap to Recovery  and until the final stage five is reached, Health Officer Orders and directives will continue to ensure that we slow spread of COVID-19 to prevent an overwhelming surge of COVID-19 cases at healthcare facilities.

An interactive dashboard is available that provides an overview on COVID-19 testing, cases and deaths along with maps and graphs showing testing, cases and death data by community poverty level, age, sex and race/ethnicity. To view Public Health’s COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard, visit: http://dashboard.publichealth.lacounty.gov/covid19_surveillance_dashboard/.

The Health Officer Order, Roadmap to Recovery, Recovery Dashboard, and additional things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

The best protection against COVID-19 is to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, self-isolate if you are sick, practice physical distancing (especially by staying at home) and wear a clean face covering when in contact with others from outside your household. People who have underlying health conditions remain at much greater risk for serious illness from COVID-19, so it will continue to be very important for the County’s vulnerable residents to stay at home as much as possible, to have groceries and medicine delivered, and to call their providers immediately if they have even mild symptoms.

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