LOS ANGELES – Seven more people have died in Los Angeles County from the coronavirus, with 342 new cases confirmed, authorities announced Monday, but the county’s public health director warned that far more people are likely infected with the virus and just haven’t been counted yet.
In the Antelope Valley, there were 27 cases in Lancaster and nine cases in Palmdale as of 12 p.m. Monday, March 30, according to the LA County Department of Public Health website.
The seven new deaths pushed Lo Angeles County’s total to 44, according to Barbara Ferrer, head of the Department of Public Health. The 342 new cases gave the county a total of 2,474 coronavirus cases. However, Long Beach health officials subsequently reported another seven cases, pushing the countywide total to 2,481.
“At this point in time, although our numbers continually rise, we do have to assume that there are other people that are infected who haven’t yet been tested, so the true number of people infected in L.A. County is likely to be significantly higher,” Ferrer said.
Of the seven new deaths, six were aged 65 or older, while the other was between 41 and 65, Ferrer said. Six of the seven people had underlying health conditions, including the younger patient.
Ferrer said the county is still seeing a roughly 1.8% mortality rate, meaning that of everyone who has tested positive for coronavirus in the county, 1.8% have died. Ferrer said last week the mortality rate in New York is about 1.4%
While the deaths are spread throughout the county, Ferrer said health officials are investigating 25 institutions such as nursing homes or skilled nursing facilities that have coronavirus cases. She said there have been six deaths at such facilities so far.
Eleven institutions are now being investigated for centralized outbreaks, meaning they have three or more cases.
“Where there’s one case at an institutional setting, our Department of Public Health team does go in and it works with the facility and management and staff to ensure they’re doing the best they can to protect the health of their residents,” Ferrer said. “… Most of the residents who are in facilities where there are cases have, in fact, been quarantined.”
As of Sunday, more than 15,500 people in the county have been tested for the virus, with about 12% of them turning out to be positive for the illness.
Ferrer continued to stress that the availability of testing, while expanding, remains limited, meaning it should be restricted to people who are referred by physicians or are showing definitive symptoms of the illness.
“The greatest service everyone can provide at this point is to stay home,” she said. “… These are extraordinary times and I want everyone to note that we need to be prepared for this to go on for a while to come.”
Among the people testing positive for coronavirus are two homeless people, one worker at a temporary housing facility for the homeless, one county jail inmate and four county jail workers, according to Ferrer.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the inmate was at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility but has since been moved to the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. Ferrer did not know the positions of the jail staffers who have tested positive, but according to The Times, they are a sheriff’s deputy, a custody assistant, a nursing assistant and a doctor.
County officials said hospitals across the area are making plans for an anticipated surge in cases in the coming weeks.
–
Liz Gorski says
What is the mayor of palmdale doing to get PPE to PMC? They are using the same mask all day. Running out of gowns and rationing face masks. Nurses are doing everything because other support staff will not enter the room with no protective gear. What about all you people hoarding the N95 face masks!! Shame on you! My daughter is risking her life possibly nursing your friend or family member. This week has been really hard on the nurses there, they are seeing the disease and the rapid onset of respiratory failure they are scared and do not have the basic protection to do their job!
Koo Koo Soo says
The Rex Fan Club in Lancaster is trying to downplay the fact that COVID-19 came from China. Unless you are devoid of a brain, you know the virus cane from China. Rex is sensitive because he took credit for Antonovich bringing BYD to Lancaster. Lancaster has a very high ratio of COVID-19 cases. Rex tried to deflect a death on an insurance issue. Now, his defenders are working overtime trying to defend the misguided mayor.,
coffeeboi says
byd and covid are generally unrelated but important that we remember byd keeps all of its specialized jobs strictly to the chinese who are shipped in to work there, sharing no engineering or technical information with americans. not sure what the benefit was to bring it here if it doesn’t bring us well paying jobs.
we’re an island of LA, as we have so many commuters going there. cheaper rent than the rest of LA county so, most people moving to ‘LA’ land here instead. these people that move in from elsewhere or commute from here bring their economic presence but also probably increase susceptibility to spreading covid.
Still hanging says
Omg what a nightmare with no where to hide , who lives who dies ….
What a MF reality. So if it doesn’t get us now it’ll come back in the fall for another chance
Good luck everyone !