The number of new coronavirus cases topped 1,000 for the fifth straight day in Los Angeles County as officials announced the county was working on a plan that would allow businesses to reopen.
Dr. Barbara Ferrer, the county's Director of Public Health, reported 52 additional deaths due to COVID-19, bringing the countywide death toll to 848.
Due to a high number of infections found at several including nursing homes, and skilled nursing facilities, health officials also announced a revised order that bars all visitors to congregate living facilities, with only essential workers allowed in. The order also bans all communal activity inside the facilities, and requires all staff to wear surgical masks at all times, and personal protective equipment when necessary.
The revised order also calls for residents to wear face coverings at all times when going outside their rooms.
Testing for all residents and staff, regardless of symptoms, will begin on Monday.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger also announced today that the the county was working on a plan that would eventually easy restrictions on businesses and social-distancing measures, once the pandemic eases.
The county says they are eyeing four benchmarks before they can enact the plan. These include:
- Ensuring there's enough capacity in the healthcare system
- Ensuring protections for at-risk populations
- Increased testing as well as contact-tracing abilities
- Ability to continue enforcing physical distancing measures
The number of confirmed cases around Southern California include:
- Los Angeles County: 18,517 cases - 848 deaths
- Orange County: 1,845 cases - 36 deaths
- Riverside County: 3,218 cases - 100 deaths
- Ventura County: 465 cases - 16 deaths
- San Bernardino County: 1,608 cases - 77 deaths
- San Diego County: 2,643 cases - 100 deaths
Statewide, there are more than 39,719 cases with at least 1,537 deaths reported. According to data collected by Johns Hopkins University, there are more than 906,975 cases nationwide with the death toll reaching 51,296 by Friday afternoon.