Los Angeles County officials announced a new set of Cs — compliance, containment and collaboration — «that will move with us in the long-term recovery that we all want to see happening as soon as possible.»
LOS ANGELES — Here are the current numbers of novel coronavirus cases in Los Angeles County and across Southern California:The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported 51 additional deaths due to the coronavirus, and 2,708 new cases. Meanwhile, a new testing site was scheduled to open in Montebello, with two other locations in the county opening this week. Testing will be conducted from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday by appointment only at the Montebello Civic Center,1600 W. Beverly Blvd. Tests are free and proof of medical insurance is not required. For more information or to schedule an appointment at the drive-thru testing site, visit covid19.lacounty.gov/testing or dial 211. A testing site is opened in South Gate on Monday. The location is the second large-scale COVID-19 testing site that the county has launched, officials say. On-site testing will be conducted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday by appointment only at South Gate Park,4900 Southern Ave. A third testing site will open on Wednesday in Panorama City. These new sites will be able to test close to 2,000 people a day, five days a week, once they’re fully up and running. Testing is prioritized but any L. A. County resident can make an appointment online. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Los Angeles County officials have stressed the importance of avoiding the three «Cs» in controlling its spread, which stand for crowded places, confined spaces and close contact with others outside households. While they are still «vitally important,» county public health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer on Monday announced a new set of Cs «that will move with us in the long-term recovery that we all want to see happening as soon as possible.»The additional Cs stand for compliance, containment and collaboration. Here’s a breakdown of what those mean:This applies to individuals maintaining physical distancing guidelines, wearing face coverings in public and avoiding gathering with people that you don’t live with. Basic cleanliness protocols such as hand-washing and sanitizing frequently touched surfaces also apply. This also applies to individual businesses.»Compliance really is about everyone doing their part,» Ferrer said. One way to achieve this, Ferrer said, is through expanded testing, particularly in the hardest communities to identify those who may be positive but not know it.»We know that our brown and black neighbors and those in poorer communities are bearing the brunt of this virus. They are infected at a higher rate and see the worst outcomes,» Ferrer added. Case interviews and contact tracing also fall under this category to ensure that those who may be positive or those who may have been exposed to someone who has the virus can appropriately self-isolate. This is a critical component, but cooperation from citizens is a big part of making the tool effective. Ferrer announced a new program that would give $20 gift certificates in exchange for «full participation» when being interviewed by contact tracers. This relies on a unified response across all sectors and government jurisditions on health and economic imperatives «to ensure that there are clear messages to the public, uninterrupted supply chains for testing supplies and personal protective equipment, and unity on strategies for reopening,» Ferrer said.»There’s is mounting evidence that these strategies work. The task in front of us is for us to thread the needle so that we can continue with our recovery journey while protecting the health and well-being of our residents, our workforce and our community. We have to figure out how to do both.»Officials on Monday confirmed an additional 17 deaths and 2,039 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the region’s totals to 4,375 deaths and 176,028 positive cases. Los Angeles County officials confirmed 10 new deaths and 1,703 new coronavirus cases on Sunday. But they said Sunday’s numbers were incomplete because of delays in the state electronic lab reporting system. The actual number for Sunday’s update is expected to increase once complete data is reported. In total, the county has reported data from 1.64 million tests, with 10% of people reporting positive. Los Angeles County officials confirmed 53 additional deaths and 3,628 new COVID-19 cases. There were 2,016 people hospitalized with 30% in the ICU. Officials said Saturday’s higher case numbers were, in part, due to backlogged positive test results. The county totals stand at 172,325 cases and 4,351 deaths. Health officials said 92% of people who died from COVID-19 had underlying health conditions. Officials also said younger adults still make up the majority of new positive cases with 76% of new cases on Saturday occurring in people under 50 years old, and 54% of those new cases were among people under 30. Los Angeles County health officials shared some promising news in the fight against COVID-19. The health department said the county is beginning to turn the corner in efforts to slow the spread of the virus. Health officials say there is already more encouraging data, with the daily positivity rate remaining flat at about 8.5%. In South Los Angeles, a new pop-up testing site opened amid growing hospitalization and ICU rates throughout the state. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is rolling out a new compliance and enforcement plan to try and slow the spread of COVID-19, fining those businesses that are found to be out of compliance. Last weekend, inspectors visited hundreds of restaurants and found 93% were in compliance with physical distancing requirements. They also found that 96% of employees and 98% of customers were wearing face coverings. The county’s Department of Public Health has investigated more than 17,000 restaurants, over 3,500 grocery stores and over 3,000 other businesses since the onset of the pandemic. Nearly 30 restaurants, one grocery store, one pool and nearly 70 other businesses were shut down for being in violation of county health protocols. Starting at the end of August, fines will be issued to businesses that are found out of compliance with various health measures. Fines will range from $100-500 for the first offense and a 30-day permit suspension for multiple violations. However, the responsibility doesn’t fall entirely on businesses and officials say everyone should be doing their part to stop the spread of the virus. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis says there’s multiple factors that come into play in terms of what’s been driving the increase in cases.»People have gotten together and we have data that people are saying they’re more in contact with people outside of their house or their homes,» he added. «We know that not everybody or a high percentage of people may not be wearing their face coverings when in close contact.»Officials on Thursday confirmed an additional 49 deaths and 2,014 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the county’s total to 166,848 positive cases and 4,262 deaths. Health officials said on Monday that recent data shows Latinas represent the majority of COVID-19 cases among pregnant women in Los Angeles County. Los Angeles County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said pregnant women are «a group that we watch closely because according to new information recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pregnant women with COVID-19 are more likely to be hospitalized and are at increased risk of ICU admission and for being placed on mechanical ventilation when compared to non-pregnant women.
