LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Los Angeles County officials reports 1,784 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 11 more deaths, bringing the county's totals to 83,397 cases and 3,120 fatalities.
The numbers released Sunday followed Saturday's report of 2,056 new cases, which public health officials blamed in part on delays in lab reporting.
“COVID-19 has left many families mourning a loved one. We are so sorry for your loss and keep you in our thoughts and prayers every day,'' said Barbara Ferrer, the county's director of public health.
“As more businesses reopen, it is important that they follow all of the protocols and directives issued by the LA County Health Officer, and that all customers and visitors practice physical distancing and wear cloth face coverings. I want to thank all of you who are making the actions that slow the spread of COVID-19 part of your day-to-day life and your day-to-day business operations. These are the actions that allow us to continue our recovery journey, and these actions will be essential to ensure that we don't overwhelm our healthcare system and see increased numbers of deaths from COVID-19.''
Ninety-three percent of people who died had underlying health conditions. Of those, information about race and ethnicity is available for 2,900 people (99% of reported cases.
Forty-two percent of deaths occurred among Latino residents, 29% among Whites, 17% among Asians, 11% among Blacks, less than 1% among Native Hawaiian-Pacific Islanders and 1% identifying with other races. Upon further investigation, 23 cases and one death reported earlier were determined not to be county residents, Ferrer said.
There are 1,426 people currently hospitalized, 29% of whom are in intensive care and 21% are on ventilators. Testing capacity continues to increase in the county, with testing results available for almost 945,000 individuals and 8% of people testing positive.
“Many businesses and spaces reopened in the last month, and residents have found themselves in crowded situations,'' Ferrer said Saturday.“Increased contact with others not in your household results in increased risk of transmission of COVID-19.
“This is why it is more important than ever to do what we know slows the spread of the virus: Always wear a face covering and keep six feet or more of distance from others not in your household, wash hands frequently, self-isolate if you're positive for COVID-19, and quarantine if you're a close contact of someone who tested positive. This is how we protect each other in the weeks ahead,'' Ferrer said.
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