On Saturday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health released new data on Covid-19, in which 40 new deaths and 839 new positive cases were reported.
While Public Health said hospitalizations had dropped below 600, the number and deaths reported could reflect delays in reporting over the weekend.
The department’s data brings a total of 23,274 deaths in LA County and 1,221,605 confirmed cases.
COVID-19 hospitalizations fall below 600 in LA County. 40 new deaths and 839 new positive cases of confirmed COVID-19 in Los Angeles County. Visit https://t.co/DjSCS9YX42 for more information. pic.twitter.com/i2IeGF0rE0
– LA Public Health (@lapublichealth) 3 April 2021
At the time of reporting, 596 LA County residents are hospitalized in Covid-19, of which 27% are in the ICU. LA’s number of daily hospitalizations is now similar to that seen in March 2020, with the average of 3 days 627.
Eight of today’s new deaths were from individuals older than 80, with 20 people between 65 and 79 losing due to the virus. Seven individuals who died were between 50 and 64 years old, with three between 30 and 49 years old, and one between the ages of 18 and 29. Of the deaths reported, one came from the city of Long Beach .
To date, test results have been made available to more than 6 1234,3000 individuals, with 19% testing positive. The daily test positivity rate of today is 1.3%.
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Public health is also continuing to detect cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) in the province. MIS-C is a serious inflammatory condition associated with Covid-19 that affects people under the age of 21. It resulted in the death of one child in LA County, while affecting a total of 158. All children with MIS-C were admitted to the hospital, while 40% were treated in the ICU. 73% of the reported cases of the condition are Latino / Latinx children.
Today, Barbara Ferrer, Director of Public Heath, notes that “the declining number of people being hospitalized with COVID-19 is a very encouraging trend.”
Ferrer added: “We will continue to slow progress, prevent suffering and save lives if we all do our part to keep each other safe by following the rules and being vaccinated when it is our turn.”
Currently, Covid-19 vaccines are available to all LA residents between the ages of 50 and 64, along with other eligible groups. From 15 April, vaccines will be available to all residents aged 16 and over.
LA County will enter the orange level of California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy on Monday. Orange County, meanwhile, will enter the less restrictive level on Wednesday, March 31st.
When LA turns orange, shops, houses of worship, museums, zoos and aquariums are admitted to an indoor capacity of 50%. Movie theaters and restaurants will also allow an indoor capacity of 50% or 200 people – whichever is less. Meanwhile, gyms, fitness centers and yoga studios will increase capacity to 25%. Bars will reopen, but only for outdoor activities, with masking and social distance being enforced – and breweries will be 25%, or 100 people, depending on the least. Outdoor sports and live performances have a capacity of 33%, with theme parks 25%.
On April 15, the restrictions on Covid-19 will be further eased, allowing large parties, events and receptions to take place in Los Angeles County again.