LOS ANGELES – Rising coronavirus cases and fatalities remain concerning — with four dozen more deaths confirmed Thursday — but there are signs Los Angeles County is beginning to turn the corner in efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, according to the county’s top health officer.
“At least this week, we’re still seeing concerning data,” county health officer Dr. Muntu Davis told reporters in an online briefing. “There are still high case counts, hospitalizations have exceeded 2,200 people for at least the last four days in a row and tragically people are still dying from COVID-19. But I hope this week marks a turning point, and that we’ll start to see the results of our collective actions to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“We’re already seeing more positive data,” he said. “Our daily positivity rate remains flat at or just below 8.5% — again, that’s a seven-day average. And while this rate is still higher than what we’d like it to be, it offers some evidence we may be returning to slowing the spread and that our efforts and sacrifices are making a difference.”
The seven-day positivity rate in the county reached as high as 11% earlier this month.
Davis warned, however, that recent numbers have been daunting, noting that the county reported about 9,000 new cases of the virus in the first three days of the week alone, with a majority of those infections occurring among younger residents.
On Thursday, the county confirmed another 2,014 cases and announced another 49 deaths.
To date (July 23), Public Health has identified 166,848 confirmed coronavirus cases and 4,262 deaths in all areas of Los Angeles County, including 2,121 cases and 27 deaths in Palmdale; 1,803 cases and 24 deaths in Lancaster; 109 cases and 10 deaths in Quartz Hill; 113 cases and two deaths in Lake Los Angeles 98 cases and no deaths in the Littlerock/Pearblossom, Juniper Hills areas; and 83 cases and no deaths in Sun Village. View the latest detailed report here.
The county also reported that 2,210 people were hospitalized as of Thursday with the virus. It was the fifth day in a row the number has exceeded 2,200. But while that number remains just shy of the record set days ago, health officials noted that the steady rise in hospitalizations seen earlier this month appears to have flattened out and may actually be starting to decrease.
Davis urged residents to continue adhering to public health orders such as practicing physical distancing and wearing face coverings in public, and he said business owners must continue to meet all health protocols in their operations.
On that front, Davis reported vastly improved compliance by various business sectors, most notably restaurants, which are currently limited to outdoor-only operations. He said that one month ago, roughly 33% of restaurants that underwent inspections were failing to adhere to physical distancing requirements, and 40% were in violation of employee face-covering mandates. But last weekend, inspectors visited 507 eateries and found 93% compliance with physical distancing rules, 96% compliance for employee face coverings and 98% compliance with customer face-covering rules.
According to Davis, since health orders took effect, the county has shut down 26 restaurants, one grocery store, one pool and 67 “unregulated businesses,” including three gyms, for failing to comply.
He said that since March, health inspectors have responded to 17,808 complaints about possible health-order violations. Overall, inspectors have visited more than 17,000 restaurants, more than 3,500 grocery stores, more than 600 swimming pools and more than 3,000 businesses that aren’t issued permits by the health department.
Davis outlined a new enforcement strategy being implemented by the county, which will begin with a fine of up to $100 for a first offense, a $500 fine and seven-day permit suspension for a second violation, and another $500 fine and 30-day suspension — and possible start of revocation proceedings — for a third violation.
He said inspectors generally try to work with businesses to achieve compliance with the regulations, rather than trying to shut companies down.
“While some may consider (enforcement efforts) punitive or harsh, it’s really about finding a path to reopen our economic sectors,” Davis said.
“This is an unprecedented public health emergency and we’re still learning and adapting as we navigate this crisis,” Davis said. “COVID-19 is not going to disappear overnight. We all want our local businesses to be open and more people to get back to making a living and to thrive, but we all must operate responsibly. … Business owners and operators are critical partners in slowing the spread of COVID-19. It protects their employees, it protects their customers and it helps the entire community on the road to recovery.”
With recent summer-like weather, Davis said inspectors also visited 174 residential swimming pools and also found “generally good” compliance with rules limiting capacity, although he said there was “room for improvement” in the spacing of pool furniture to ensure physical distancing.
County public health director Barbara Ferrer said Wednesday the county had no immediate plans to institute stricter stay-at-home or business- closure orders despite the recent uptick in cases. Davis’ general optimism Thursday appeared to echo that sentiment, but he said it will depend on the behavior of residents.
“We all have a responsibility to follow these orders,” Davis said. “That means we stay at home as much as possible. It means we practice physical distancing from those we don’t live with, and it means we must wear face coverings when we leave our house and are around others. These aren’t just obligations, they’re acts of love and kindness.
“… I know it’s difficult especially on these gorgeous summer days, but I’m grateful for everyone’s sacrifice.”
Teddy Rose says
Put your mask on Jason. Republicans are the spreaders of this virus, put on your mask!!
Jason Zink is uninformed says
Jason Zink unwittingly makes a case for NOT opening up the schools now. People like him who say “People die. That is life.” have no regard for others.
Magnify that by thousands and millions of other thoughtless people such as himself and that is a good reason not to send children to school during a pandemic.
Trump canceled the RNC convention in Jacksonville Florida because it wasn’t safe yet the republican governor Desantis wants to open up schools and risk the lives of students, teachers and their families.
Yes. There are people who think like Jason Zink and many are even more thoughtless. Why risk the lives of kids and teachers to the poor judgment of those folks? Stay away from this guy. He doesn’t care about you, only his opinion which isn’t grounded in reality.
Lone Ranger says
Wearing a mask is not a political statement.
It’s an IQ test.
Jason Zink says
It’s time to open up AV Schools, City Hall and Our Local Economy “FULLY”! If we dont open up schools we will have huge problems with minors drinking, drugs, unwanted pregnancies, vandalism, robbery, gangs, arrests of minors(criminal records for life) and suicide. Business owners will not just lose their houses but their family homes and future. We have a constitutional right to talk to our government in person. This can no longer continue. The risk of not opening up fully outways the risk of shutdown over a Virus that by the data will not kill you if you healthy and wash your hands. Who made Govenor Newsome God anyways this is America we choose our destiny as individuals not government.
Matt says
Just remember, while you are “choosing your own destiny.” You could be giving the virus to your grandparents, neighbors, or hundreds of other people where you took their destiny out of their hands because YOU werent careful and got them sick. What gives you that right. U sound like a restaurant owner of something and if that’s the case, then I’m sorry and this sucks for u, but nothing is more important than human life. And please site your source where it says if you are healthy and wash your hands corona cant kill you. Sad to say Jason, but yes, even some people who are considered totally healthy can, will, and have died from this, along with more to come with people like you walking around.
Jason Zink says
People die that is life. You will eventually die too. You can not hold the world up for a few no matter how sad it is. People die in car accidents but we must all still drive. You do not corentin healthy people. It’s time to open up and get our kids going on a healthy track of life or they will be damaged for life!
Matt says
You are an idiot who cant even spell quarantine. I see no reason to try to get through to you with logic. You have the intellect of a 12 year old and I feel sorry for your children that you obviously dont have and I’m sorry for your mother.
Dave says
Thank God it’s not your call Jason Zink. It’s not safe to open the schools and other public places.
If you were paying any attention to what is happening in Florida when they opened up and, yes young people got sick and passed it on to others. Hospitals are overflowing.
We simply can’t trust others who don’t want to wear masks or aren’t washing their hands. So, the government and Newsome have to make it a rule.
Quit being part of the problem. You sound like a Trumper.
Jason Zink says
This is not a Communist country – it is my call. American’s asses risk. Stay home if your sacred. Government should not choose winners or losers that is our choice. Walmart Home Depot verses small business owners. This is wrong!
Matt says
Why isnt Baron going to school in the fall? Can you explain that one to me?
Jack Borstein's tweet says
I don’t understand how COVID-19 is worse than ever after we’ve tried everything from pretending it’s over to pretending it never happened.
Teddy Rose says
Republicans are the spreaders of this virus Jason and you should own up to your misguided assumptions.
Lone Ranger says
Are you kidding? Have you ever seen anyone so adamant about their position ever own up to that it’s incorrect or irresponsible?
Me neither.
Because that’s the Republican mantra now, Jason thinks he has agreement for it.
Laughing says
So you are saying, the AV children have not had proper parenting, at all. Also small business owners will lose their entire future, harsh. Yup, we have the right, but we have voted about of goofs into offices across this country that refuse to listen to us and instead listen to the corporations (not going under due to Covid) because those same corporations pay them!
The risk for kids going to school, they will spread Covid and bring it back home to parents and grand[parents. Not to mention the teachers, administrators and support workers. I think you vastly over estimated the ‘health’ of the general populace. Almost 40% are fat like POTUS or worse. Not to mention all the lung issues due to pollution from companies, bad gene pools due to staying ‘in ethnicity’, and the poisons in our foods.
Choose your destiny, that is your personal right. Businesses can do the same. For any choice we make we have to be prepared to pay the price. Believe that it is even in ‘The Good Book’ that we are subject to the laws of the leaders in the lands we live, but to always remember the laws of God and do our best to live by those rules.
In short, go for it!
Jason Zink is ill-informed says
@Jason Zink
Go inform yourself as to what happened in Florida when they opened up businesses and beaches.
They now have the worst outbreaks and their hospitals are at the breaking point.
Go back and read what their governor Desantis was saying a couple months ago. He sounded like you until the virus came and proved him a f00l, again like you.
Daddy Zink says
It’s statements like Jason Sink makes that keep him from ever being taken seriously politically or otherwise. Try running for office again with that kind of thinking and you will continue to be rejected.