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COVID-19 Deaths Top 3,800 In LA County As State Reverses Local Reopenings
Los Angeles County's coronavirus task force delivered an update on the COVID-19 pandemic. Read highlights below or watch the full video above.
Following new state guidelines announced today, L.A. County public health officials said new protocols will be issued, closing a variety of businesses and spaces that had reopened in recent weeks. That includes:
- Places of worship
- Gyms and fitness centers
- Hair salons and barbershops
- Nail salons
- Spas
- Tattoo shops
- Indoor malls
"I know this step back in our recovery journey is disheartening," County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said, "but we must do everything in our power to stop the virus from spreading — from the making of people we love sick, and from causing untimely death."
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Ferrer noted that while the death rate for the coronavirus has declined, health experts are bracing for an increase in deaths as infections and hositalizations surge.
Given the available data, "everything is pointing towards an alarming trend," she said, adding:
"Our data shows us that every day, thousands of people in our communities are being infected with COVID-19 and our friends, families and neighbors are being hospitalized at a much higher rate. While our death rate has remained relatively stable, we anticipate that, unfortunately, with the rise in hospitalizations, we will soon see corresponding increases in the number of people who pass away."
Los Angeles County officials reported 2,593 new confirmed cases of coronavirus today, bringing the total to at least 136,129 cases countywide.
Ferrer also reported 13 new deaths of COVID-19 patients — all of whom were over 65. The total number of deaths countywide now stands at 3,822 people.
So far, 93% of those who have died had underlying health conditions, Ferrer said.
Ferrer also provided a racial breakdown of the confirmed deaths, based on information confirmed for 3,533 of the victims. According to the latest available information:
- 46% Latino / Latina [48.6% of county residents]
- 11% African American [9% of county residents]
- 26% White [26.1% of county residents]
- 16% Asian [15.4% of county residents]
- “Slightly less than" 1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander [0.4% of county residents]
- 1% identified as belonging to another race or ethnicity
SHARP INCREASE IN WORKPLACE OUTBREAKS
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Ferrer shared the county's latest data, which showed that the sharpest increase in recent outbreaks of COVID-19 are happening at workplaces and offices, including warehouses, manufacturing and retail businesses.
(Courtesy Los Angeles County)
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"What this tells us is clear: that business owners and operators must take their employee health needs seriously, and they must heed the public health directives," Ferrer said. "There are real consequences to not following the infection control directives that are in place. People's health and their livelihoods are at risk."
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