Get updates on the coronavirus in Los Angeles County including the latest news from Mayor Garcetti, LA County health officials and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
LOS ANGELES — Here are the current numbers of novel coronavirus cases in Los Angeles County and across Southern California:The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Los Angeles County now stands at 31,197 after health officials on Saturday announced 44 additional COVID-19 deaths and 1,011 new cases. The region’s death toll increased to 1,512. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Los Angeles County has reached a grim milestone by surpassing the 30,000 mark, health officials said Friday while announcing 51 new COVID-19-related deaths. Overall, 1,468 people have died in the county and 30,296 total cases have been reported. Dr. Barbara Ferrer, the public health director, disclosed the numbers at a daily briefing, adding that 92% of the deceased had underlying conditions. Mayor Eric Garcetti and city officials are announcing new protections for tenants and ratepayers affected by the economic slowdown. The city Department of Water and Power will not shut off bills for nonpayment for the rest of 2020, Garcetti said. In addition, the mayor has signed a freeze on rent for one year after the crisis ends. The city is also offering new legal protections for tenants to prevent intimidation or fraud by landlords in an effort to get funds from stimulus checks. Tenants have new rights to take legal action against landlords who violate the protections given during the emergency period. Also starting Monday, May 11, all riders on the Metro transit system trains and buses will be required to wear face coverings. Los Angeles County health officials on Thursday confirmed an additional 51 deaths and 815 new coronavirus cases. The total number of cases in the county increased to 29,427. Officials said 1,826 patients are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19. All travelers at Los Angeles International Airport will have to wear face coverings starting Monday, Mayor Eric Garcetti said Wednesday. The new requirement, he said, aligns with what many individual airlines are already requiring of many passengers and flight crew. Garcetti also announced the beginning of the lifting of some business and public recreation restrictions starting Friday. The city is following the county’s lead in reopening retail businesses for curbside pickup, as well as opening more parks, trails and golf courses. The popular Runyon Canyon remains closed, he said. Businesses that can reopen for curbside service include stores that sell flowers, toys, clothing, sporting goods, music products and cars. But anyone who makes use of the city’s golf courses and hiking trails, Garcetti said, must wear face coverings even if they are alone. He noted that even if you are by yourself, you could round a corner „and suddenly be face-to-face with someone.“Riders on city transit buses, including DASH, Commuter Express and Cityride, will also have to wear masks, he said. The county is considering, but has not yet approved, similar requirements on the Metro transit system. Los Angeles County health officials on Wednesday reported 55 additional deaths due to COVID-19, bringing the county’s death toll to 1,367. The confirmation of 851 new cases raised the total countywide to 28,644. Public health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said 92% of the people who have died of COVID-19 in the county had underlying health conditions. Health and elected officials also announced that certain types of businesses and public spaces in Los Angeles County that were temporarily closed will be allowed to reopen with safety precautions on Friday Speaking at a daily briefing, county Supervisor Kathryn Barger said the first round of reopenings will include trails, golf courses, car dealers, and stores that sell toys, books, clothing, sporting goods and music. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a new program, LA Represents, that will help provide free legal assistance to those affected by COVID-19. The law firms and organizations who volunteered their pro bono services will help with issues such as rent and evictions, domestic violence, employment, debt, bankruptcy and other issues triggered by the coronavirus crisis. Los Angeles County health officials on Tuesday reported 58 new deaths due to COVID-19, bringing the county’s death toll to 1,313. The confirmation of 1,638 new cases raised the total countywide to 27,815. Public health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said 93% of the deceased had underlying conditions. She noted that officials planned to release more information later this week on guidelines for an eventual reopening of the county’s economy. The Burbank Unified School District said there are currently no plans to open before the agreed upon start date of Aug. 17. Officials also announced plans for end-of-year ceremonies and summer school. Details can be found here California officials announced that the state’s death toll has risen to 2,317. The total number of coronavirus cases in the state stands at 56,212. Of those cases, 3,369 patients are hospitalized, and the ICU rate stands at 1,157 COVID-19 patients. Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling them „disease detectives,“ so what exactly are COVID-19 contact tracers? They’re essentially coronavirus case investigators, and the state is reassigning 20,000 public employees to become detectives. The goal is to track down every person who may have become infected by each new person who tests positive. Training programs at UC San Francisco and UCLA will prepare staffers starting Wednesday. Mayor Eric Garcetti said the city is opening two additional testing centers, at the Northridge Fashion Center and the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw Plaza, in addition to some three dozen sites located through the city and county of Los Angeles. Testing signup is available here. He also said the program that provides meals to seniors is being expanded. Anyone who is age 60-64 with an underlying health condition or anyone 65 or older can contact the program online here or by phone at (213)263-5226. The program provides up to 10 home-delivered meals per week to seniors. Los Angeles County health officials on Monday confirmed an additional 28 deaths and 568 new COVID-19 cases. The total number of cases in the county was increased to 26,217. Authorities also said 1,819 patients are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19. Gov. Gavin Newsom said he will announce on Thursday plans for California to move closer to reopening parts of the state in a „very positive sign“ prompted by data on the coronavirus outbreak. State officials also announced California’s death toll has risen to 2,254. The total number of coronavirus cases in the state stands at 54,937. New testing sites open in L. A. County Monday. One site opens to the public in Long Beach and is located at Jordan Plus High School on Bort Street. It opened last week for essential workers, and is now open to the public from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. An appointment made online is required and you must have COVID-19 symptoms. Essential workers can also still get tested at the site, but do not need to have symptoms. The city of Alhambra is also opening a new drive-thru testing site Monday. The site is located on 2nd Street across from Alhambra High School. You can make an appointment on the city’s website, but only people who live in Alhambra can sign up. Testing takes between five to 10 minutes and results are delivered within 12 to 48 hours. Los Angeles County health officials on Sunday confirmed an additional 21 new deaths and 781 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the county’s death toll to 1,229.
