Los Angeles County Announces 10 New Deaths Related to 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

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

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 10 new deaths and 823 new cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). The decrease in cases and deaths may reflect a reporting lag from over the weekend. Six people who died were over the age of 65 years old and three people who died were between the ages of 41 and 65 years old. Five people had underlying health conditions including three people over the age of 65 years old and two people between the ages of 41 to 65 years old. One death was reported by the City of Pasadena.

To date, Public Health has identified 64,644 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of LA County, and a total of 2,655 deaths. Ninety-three percent of people who died had underlying health conditions. Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 2,463 people (99 percent of the cases reported by Public Health) 41% of deaths occurred among Latino/Latinx residents, 28% among White residents, 18% among Asian residents, 12% among African American residents, 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and residents identifying with other races. Upon further investigation, 23 cases reported earlier were not LA County residents. As of today, 6,923 people who tested positive for COVID-19 (11% of positive cases) have been hospitalized at some point during their illness. There are 1,399 people who are currently hospitalized, 30% of these people are in the ICU and 21% are on ventilators. Testing capacity continues to increase in LA County, with testing results available for over 708,000 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 41 people who died from COVID-19 worked in a healthcare setting; 29 people who died worked in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, six people worked in hospitals, two people worked in home health, one person worked in a correctional facility, 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 6,031 confirmed cases of COVID-19 occurred among healthcare workers and first responders; this is an additional 633 new cases reported since the previous week. Seven percent of healthcare workers with COVID-19 have been hospitalized. Forty-four 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 27 different occupational settings, with the vast majority of cases among healthcare workers from skilled nursing facilities and hospitals.

“Every day, we report these numbers knowing that they represent real people who have passed away, and they represent families and friends who are experiencing profound loss.  Our thoughts and prayers are very much with you all. We are so sorry for your loss,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “Every social interaction outside the household comes with risk to both the people who interact and, if anyone gets infected, to the people they live, work and play with in the future. Please take time to take common sense precautions to reduce the risk of infecting others and/or becoming infected.”

Because COVID-19 is still relatively easy to transmit and continues to cause serious illness and death, everyone should always wear a face covering securely over their nose and mouth and keep six feet apart from others not in their household when out and about. Businesses must continue to implement their physical distancing and infection control protocols that protect both employees and customers. If anyone has been in a crowded setting, where people are congregating who are not using face coverings or distancing, or if you had close contact (within 6 feet for greater than 15 minutes) with non-household members who were not wearing face coverings please consider the following:

• If you live with persons who are elderly or have high risk conditions, you should also maintain a six-foot distance and wear a face covering when you are with them at home, avoid preparing food for others, sharing utensils, bedding and towels, and increase cleaning and disinfecting of common surfaces.
• Consider getting tested for COVID-19 if you have been exposed to someone that is positive or likely positive.

Testing negative for COVID-19 right after being exposed does not mean you can’t become infected later during the incubation period. Individuals who are tested too soon after being exposed, are less likely to test positive because their viral load may be undetectable to the test. If anyone was possibly exposed to someone with COVID-19, and the test result is negative, they should remain at home for 14 days to prevent spreading illness to others. COVID-19 testing is prioritized for hospitalized patients, healthcare workers, and first responders with symptoms, as well as residents and employees, both symptomatic and asymptomatic, in long-term care facilities or other congregate living settings where there are outbreaks. Additionally, Public Health recommends testing for anyone who is older or has underlying health conditions with symptoms, as well as people who have been close contacts of people who are positive for COVID-19.  Anyone with symptoms should consider testing as well. For more information on how to get tested, visit:  covid19.lacounty.gov/testing.

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.

The Safer at Work and in the Community Health Officer Order, 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.

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