A Silent Easter: Catch Up On The Last 48 Hours In LA

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It was an oddly quiet Easter in Southern California, with church gatherings restricted in many places and virtual services (or, in some cases, drive-up gatherings) offered in their stead.

Meanwhile, somber news came out of L.A. County — Sunday saw its highest single-day death toll so far in the coronavirus pandemic. But the number of new cases fell from the past several days, and health officials remind us that physical distancing is working to contain the spread.

Cover your face. Wash your hands. We'll get through another week.

COMING UP

Sharon McNary explores the different ways we're greeting each other now that we're wearing masks or cloth face coverings when out of the house.

California is heading full steam into peak strawberry season. But, as Jacob Margolis reports, there's a good chance that roughly 200 million pounds of strawberries could go bad over the next few months as the market for them has partially collapsed and the supply chain struggles to adjust.

During World War II, hundreds of buildings across Southern California were drafted into service for Uncle Sam. Today, we're doing much the same thing to fight the coronavirus pandemic, writes Hadley Meares.

Last week, Randy Newman gave us a song about social distancing. Stay tuned today for some new tips on staying at home — from Grover and Oscar the Grouch.

Traffic on some sections of freeway within the city of Los Angeles has effectively been cut in half, new data from Caltrans shows. Ryan Fonseca looks into the numbers.

And we've got 12 quarantine-approved events happening this week, courtesy of our events maven Christine Ziemba.

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THE PAST 48 HOURS IN L.A.

L.A., California And The World: There are 9,192 cases of coronavirus in L.A. County, and 296 people have died. In California, there are more than 23,178 confirmed cases and 674 deaths, and the number of cases worldwide has reached more than 1.8 million.

Mental Health Hotline: L.A. County's Department of Mental Health Services has added extra staff to its 24-hour crisis hotline. For 24/7 assessment, referrals, and emergency crisis counseling, people in Los Angeles County can call 1-800-854-7771. Here are a few other resources available.

Coronavirus And Our Political Divide: The demographic breakdown of coronavirus death rates highlights the overall difference in the way America is experiencing COVID-19 — and it largely follows the dividing line between urban and rural America.

Physical Distancing Is Working: We are bending the curve, says the director of L.A. County's Department of Health Services, but if we stop physical distancing, the projection is that "virtually all residents in Los Angeles County would have been exposed or infected with COVID-19" by mid-summer. That why the stay home orders have been extended to May 15.

Real Estate Has Slowed: New real estate listings are only a quarter of what they were a year ago. Virtual home tours, however, are up 400%.

Possible Treatment? Cedars-Sinai is among dozens of sites around the world participating in a clinical trial of the drug Remdesivir. A small trial of an experimental antiviral drug has shown encouraging results, the hospital announced yesterday.

Stay-At-Home vs. Economic Loss: A new survey conducted by Loyola Marymount University’s Center for the Study of Los Angeles found 95% of Los Angeles residents support local stay-at-home orders, even as 58% of those surveyed say their income has been reduced somewhat or significantly.

Honk If You Love Jesus: On Easter Sunday, church gatherings of any sort were restricted in L.A. County. In Orange, Ventura and Riverside counties, churches held drive-up services.

Help For Hospital Workers: Mayor Eric Garcetti announced financial help for hospital workers who need child care. Options include a $100 stipend per shift, free referrals or child care at L.A. Parks and Recreation Centers.

Non-COVID-19 News: We're remembering the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 13 mission with a short story from Tom Hanks.

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YOUR MOMENT OF ZEN

This sunrise Easter service in San Diego had no congregants. Instead, Pastor George Runyan live streamed his sermon.

(Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

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