LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County Public Health officials reported 1,047 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 12 additional deaths Monday, raising the county’s totals to 46,018 cases and 2,116 deaths.
To date (May 25), Public Health has identified 645 coronavirus cases and 15 deaths in Palmdale; 538 cases and 10 deaths in Lancaster; 41 cases and seven deaths in Quartz Hill; 28 cases and two deaths in Lake Los Angeles; 37 cases and no deaths in the Littlerock/Pearblossom, Juniper Hills areas; and 14 cases and no deaths in Sun Village. View the latest detailed report here.
“On this Memorial Day, as we join with those mourning the loss of their loved ones to COVID-19, including the families of the 1100 veterans who recently passed away from COVID-19, we want to honor the memory of all the members of the armed forces who courageously gave of themselves to protect our country,” said Barbara Ferrer, county director of public health. “We take to heart the lessons of courage and caring that mark this day of remembrance. As we prepare to re-open many places and spaces that are still closed, it will require an extraordinary effort by all of us to prevent outbreaks among workers and residents. Please take care of each other by wearing a face covering, keeping your distance when around others not in your household, avoiding crowds, washing your hands often, and isolating when you are positive for COVID- 19 or a close contact of someone who is positive. Let us move forward with the awareness that our actions save lives.”
Ferrer said 93% of Los Angeles County’s fatalities had underlying health conditions.
The new numbers came shortly after the California Department of Public Health announced the statewide reopening of in-store retail shopping, subject to approval from individual counties.
It was unclear when Los Angeles County might act to facilitate the resumption of in-person shopping. Stores inside enclosed shopping malls were allowed to reopen this weekend, but only for curbside pickup service.
Kathryn Barger, chair of the county Board of Supervisors, said “based on the week that we opened up the trails and golf courses, I was very proud of the L.A. County residents who really did recognize wearing a mask and the social distancing that was in place. So I’m confident moving into this holiday, people will also recognize that is the reason why we talk about Safer At Home moving to safer at work and safer in our communities. Because people are recognizing that is the only way we’re going to stop or slow down the spread of this virus.
“So I’m encouraging people — I know we are lifting restrictions in certain areas. Please be responsible,” Barger added. “This is the only way we are going to move toward the next phase of opening. I know people are talking about opening up small businesses. … The only way we’re going to get there is if we continue to keep this flat. So I would encourage you all to just honor the request. It’s not a big ask, given what we have in store for us.”
An interactive dashboard is available that provides comprehensive information on COVID-19 cases, along with maps and graphs showing data by city and community. To view Public Health’s COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard, visit: http://dashboard.publichealth.lacounty.gov/covid19_surveillance_dashboard/
Editor’s note: Many readers have inquired about the COVID-19 recovery rate for the Antelope Valley, however, the county has not shared that information. In order to be considered recovered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a person must be free of a fever without the help of medication, show improvement in respiratory conditions, and receive negative results from two separate COVID-19 tests performed at least 24 hours apart. The priority for testing right now may be diagnoses, not recovery.
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Xochitlmilko says
The longer we go against protocol to protect ourselfs and others, the more we convince ourselfs it wont or if its meant to be its meant to be, the longer its going to take, to find an antibiotic let alone a vaccine, to fight this virus.