With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Missing Data And Party People Are Hindering LA County's Efforts To Slow The Spread Of COVID-19
Los Angeles County is quickly approaching 200,000 coronavirus cases and 5,000 related deaths.
County officials reported 2,347 new confirmed cases today, bringing the total to at least 197,912 cases countywide — though Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer noted that the figure is an undercount. (More on that later.)
In total, 8,362 cases have been reported in Long Beach and 2,023 in Pasadena (those two cities operate their own health departments).
Support for LAist comes from
Ferrer also reported 68 new deaths of COVID-19 patients. The total number of deaths countywide now stands at 4,825 people.
So far, 92% of those who have died had underlying health conditions, Ferrer said.
‘MISSING DATA’
One issue that’s complicating and hindering health officials’ ability to track and reduce the spread of COVID-19: “missing data” at the state level, Ferrer said, which has led to an undercount in the number of confirmed cases.
County health officials aren't sure how much of an undercount there is, but it's been a problem for "possibly the last two weeks," she said.
"We are creating a redundant system here in the county, so that hopefully by the end of the week we can have an accurate count of new cases for L.A. County," Ferrer explained.
Support for LAist comes from
Reporting on hospitalizations and deaths have not been affected, she added.
PROBLEMATIC PARTY PEOPLE
Ferrer also took time to reflect on another danger: younger county residents who are ignoring health safety guidelines by attending gatherings or large parties.
"Younger" is used liberally here; it applies to anyone ages 18 to 50, Ferrer said. She explained why this is "such a bad idea":
"... they create a lot of risk for transmission activities that really are not essential — and these parties and gatherings with people not in your household hurt all of us as we try to reduce our case rates, so we can get our children back to school and get other adults, back to their jobs. We ask that everyone make good decisions. Don't host large parties and don't attend a party if you're invited. It isn't worth the risk you run, and it certainly isn't worth the risk you're creating for our collective recovery journey."
County health officials have been responding to thousands of non-compliance complaints each week.
Given recent headline-making parties that police did not shut down, several reporters asked Ferrer if she thinks the county needs to do more when it comes to enforcing the health officer order.
Support for LAist comes from
She drew a distinction between compliance and enforcement, arguing: "We will not be able to arrest our way out of the pandemic."
"There is no single enforcement strategy that's going to get us to the place where we're going to be able to shut down activities that people continue to do in defiance of what I think at this point — forget about the [heath officer] order — what I think is logical and sensible. You're putting yourself and other people at grave risk. When you're going to that party, we have a lot of community transmission."
Younger people continue to represent the majority of new cases in L.A. County.
According to public health data, adults ages 30-to-48 have the highest case rate among all age groups in the county, Ferrer reported. And from June 9 through the end of July, the number of cases among adults age 18-to-29 quadrupled, she said.
Hospitalizations among younger people are also up, though older residents continue to face the greatest risk of dying from COVID-19. But, Ferrer warned:
"No matter how young you are, you are at risk for death from COVID-19 ... Although you as an individual — particularly a younger adult — may not suffer these devastating consequences from COVID-19, you could infect someone you love. And that could be a relative or friend, and you could infect someone in your community who could get very sick and, unfortunately, pass away."
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead. -
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades.
Best of LAist