Los Angeles County Announces 22 New Deaths Related to 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

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

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 22 new deaths and 978 new cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Sixteen people who died were over the age of 65 years old and six people who died were between the ages of 41 and 65 years old. Twenty-one people had underlying health conditions including 15 people over the age of 65 years old and six people between the ages of 41 to 65 years old.

To date, Public Health has identified 55,968 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of LA County, and a total of 2,384 deaths. Ninety-three percent of people who died had underlying health conditions. Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 2,200 people (99 percent of the cases reported by Public Health) 41% of deaths occurred among Latino/Latinx residents, 28% among White residents, 17% 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, six cases reported earlier were not LA County residents. As of today, 6,528 people who tested positive for COVID-19 (12% of positive cases) have been hospitalized at some point during their illness. There are 1,357 people who are currently hospitalized, 28% of these people are in the ICU and 18% are on ventilators. Testing capacity continues to increase in LA County, with testing results available for nearly 612,000 individuals and 8% of people testing positive.

Public Health continues tracking the number of positive cases and deaths among healthcare workers related to the COVID-19 pandemic response. Public Health has confirmed 39 people who died from COVID-19 worked in a healthcare setting; 27 people who died worked in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, six people worked in hospitals, one person worked in a correctional facility, one person worked in home health, one person worked in a laboratory, and one person worked in an outpatient facility. For one health care worker who passed away, their workplace setting is not specified. A total of 5,398 confirmed cases of COVID-19 occurred among healthcare workers and first responders; this is an additional 537 new cases reported since the previous week. Six percent of healthcare workers with COVID-19 have been hospitalized. Forty-five percent of cases are among nurses, though cases have been identified among a range of occupational roles, including caregivers, people who work in administration, physicians and medical assistants. Sixty percent of these cases reported a known source of exposure, and 79% of healthcare workers with known exposure reported being exposed in a healthcare facility. Healthcare workers who are positive worked at 26 different occupational settings, with the vast majority of cases among healthcare workers from skilled nursing facilities and hospitals.

“This is a very difficult time in our communities, and there are many people who are experiencing the profound sorrow of loved ones who have passed away from COVID-19.  We are deeply sorry for your loss.  Please know we think of you every day,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “We join the many voices who are coming together in anger, frustration and protest around the murder of George Floyd. Coming together to demand justice is critically important, but we ask that, while you are out with others, please wear cloth face coverings, and practice physical distancing. Let’s work together to prevent our peaceful protests from resulting in more transmission of COVID-19.  Please care for and protect the people around you.”

Public Health supports the need for LA County residents to exercise their first amendment rights.  There is, however, risk that these gatherings can become super-spreader events where a great deal of transmission of the COVID-19 virus can occur. Everyone engaging in peaceful protest should always wear a face covering over their nose and mouth and keep six feet apart from others not in your household.

The current Health Officer Order, Safer at Work and in the Community, allows for in-person dining at restaurants and hair salons to reopen once the establishments are able to implement the required distancing and infection control directives. The Health Officer Order specifically requires businesses to follow the COVID-19 infection control protocols. As such, restaurant and hair salon owners and operators must complete and implement these protocols prior to reopening. Brewpubs, breweries, bars, pubs, craft distilleries, and wineries that do not offer sit-down, dine-in meals are still required to remain closed.

Higher-risk businesses remain closed.

The Reopening Protocols, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, 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 continues to be to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, self-isolate if you are sick, practice physical distancing, 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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