LOS ANGELES – For the second day in a row, Los Angeles County reported more than 1,200 new coronavirus cases Friday, continuing a three-day string of elevated numbers that could further stall efforts to reopen more sectors of the local economy.
The county announced 1,256 new cases Friday, down slightly from the 1,280 announced on Thursday. The county on Wednesday reported 1,645 new cases, the highest numbers seen since Aug. 22.
Health officials said this week they would be closely monitoring the case numbers, but said the elevated numbers should be a reminder that COVID-19 is still spreading in the community.
The 1,256 cases announced by the county lifted the cumulative countywide total since the start of the pandemic to 279,959. The county also reported another 13 coronavirus-related deaths, increasing the countywide total to 6,741.
Since the start of the pandemic, health officials have confirmed 4,428 coronavirus cases and 76 deaths in Palmdale; 3,709 cases and 63 deaths in Lancaster; 190 cases and 11 deaths in Quartz Hill; 251 cases and four deaths in Lake Los Angeles; 202 cases and one death in the Littlerock/Pearblossom, Juniper Hills areas; and 170 cases and three deaths in Sun Village. View the latest detailed report here.
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health officials also announced one additional confirmed case of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C, bringing the overall number of cases of the rare malady to 41 in the county. The condition, which has been linked to COVID-19 exposure, results in inflammation of bodily organs.
Nearly half of the children who contracted the syndrome in Los Angeles County had to be treated in an intensive-care unit, but there have been no reported deaths in the county from the illness.
With more businesses reopening in the past week, health officials urged customers and business owners to adhere to all safety protocols when patronizing restaurants or other merchants. According to the county, 118 virus outbreaks in businesses or workplaces were opened in the past two weeks alone. Since Sunday, the county has issued 125 citations to businesses for failing to comply with health protocols, and an undisclosed number were actually closed due to “significant health and safety concerns or violations” of health orders.
No details were released on business closures.
After months of closure, indoor shopping malls were permitted to reopen Wednesday, though limited at 25% of capacity and with food courts and common areas remaining closed. That follows nail salons, which were permitted to reopen indoors last week; card rooms, which were allowed to open outdoors on Monday; and outdoor playgrounds, which were cleared to reopen at the discretion of individual cities.
The county this week also began accepting waiver applications from schools that want to offer in-person instruction for pre-kindergarten through second-grade students. Ferrer said about 26 schools have submitted waiver requests so far.
On Tuesday, the county quietly authorized breweries and wineries that don’t have their own kitchens to reopen for outdoor service, provided they partner with a third-party food provider. All alcohol sales for on-site consumption at breweries and wineries must be accompanied by a “bona fide meal” purchase. Customers must be seated at tables, and they must make a reservation at least one day in advance, under the health order.
As of Friday, there were 724 people hospitalized in the county due to the virus. That’s up from 709 on Thursday, 696 on Wednesday, 685 on Tuesday and 674 on Monday. Health officials acknowledged that the number has been on the rise this week, but the total has remained below 800 since mid-September — well below the 2,000-plus numbers seen in July.
Los Angeles County is still in the strictest level of the state’s four-tier economic-reopening roadmap. The county’s recent testing positivity rate is low enough to qualify the county to move up to a less-restrictive tier, but the average daily number of new cases needs to drop to about 700 per day before any movement will occur.
As of Wednesday, the county’s rate of new cases per 100,000 residents was averaging 7.4, above the limit of 7 needed to move out of the state’s restrictive “purple” tier.
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Raymond says
Free money, government’s giving the hospitals $30 thousand bux for every case of coronavirus they report.
Peggy says
Billion dollar windfall, the Coronavirus is the best thing to happen to the hospital corporations, since the Obamacare.
Virus is a bunch of crap says
When are they going to stop with the lies about this virus you’re doing all this crap for the Democrats to try to win the election
KOVID says
Uh, the president and almost 30 people in the White House are infected with the virus.
But, you know best.
Matt says
I just love it how some people can show how ignorant they are when they throw out things like the corona virus is a big lie…….that somehow the entire world is in on……..all for a plan to get rid of Trump. Even North Korea is cooperating. All of those doctors, nurses, leaders, even families with people who have recently died let them lie and put Covid on their death certificates……just to get Trump out. Do u see how ridiculous that sounds, or should I keep going?
KOVID says
I bet s/he is a birther. The point being that s/he believes Trump lies and ignores the facts presented by experts.
Alfredo says
… ever notice, how AV Hospital administrators magically stopped complaining, about every little thing? Lavish incentive for the hospital corporations, roughly 3,800 Lancaster residents infected with COVID-19, multiplied by a cool US$30 thousand, for each case of coronavirus they diagnose, plug ‘n chug, translates to a cool US$114 million, overflowing from the Christmas party slush fund, at AV Hospital –
Jeffy says
By the time this pandemic blows over, inflation and unemployment are going to be double digit. Taking our government for a ride, enriching themselves off this coronavirus pandemic, the hospital corporations are laughing it up, all the way to the bank.
The doctor is in says
Hey, Jiffy or Jeffy
How are the hospitals enriching themselves?
They had to cancel many elective money making surgeries.
They’ve had to incur extra expenses purchasing PPEs and taking on extra expense protocols.
Where do you get your information, Jeffy, Fox ‘news’?
Deke says
That’s at least $114 million. Free, and clear, no less.