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313 N. Figueroa Street, Room 806  |  Los Angeles, CA 90012  |  (213) 288-8144  |  media@ph.lacounty.gov

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For Immediate Release:

August 23, 2020

Public Health Reports 8 New Deaths and 1,098 New Positive Cases of Confirmed COVID-19 In Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 8 new deaths and 1,098 new cases of confirmed COVID-19. The lower number of cases and deaths reflects reporting delays over the weekend.

Splash pads, swim beaches, parks, trails, open spaces and other outdoor fun spots are open in Los Angeles County, with protocols in place intended to keep visitors and staff safe. These spaces have restrictions in place that allow residents increased outdoor recreation options while adhering to physical distancing and infection control requirements that reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19.

As a reminder, being around people who aren’t part of your household puts you at a greater risk for COVID-19, which is why it is so important to stay at home as much as possible and avoid all gatherings, of any size, with people who are not part of your household.

Public Health is asking business owners to adhere to the Health Officer Order and renew their commitment to infectious disease control measures. They are urged to take immediate action to implement strategies that protect workers and customers. The Health Officer Order mandates all indoor operations at many businesses must be suspended. This includes the closure of indoor operations at restaurants, houses of worship, gyms and fitness centers, museums, hair salons and barbershops and personal care services. Violations of the Health Officer Order can result in citations, fines, and the full closure of non-compliant facilities.

To date, Public Health has identified 231,695 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County, and a total of 5,545 deaths. There are currently 1,247 hospitalized, of which 33% are confirmed cases in the ICU. Upon further investigation, 65 cases reported earlier were not L.A. County residents.

Of the eight new deaths reported today (excluding Long Beach and Pasadena), three people that passed away were over the age of 80, three people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64 years old and two people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49 years old. Seven people had underlying health conditions including three people over the age of 80 years old, three people between the ages of 50 and 64 years old and one person between the ages of 30 and 49 years.

Ninety-two percent of the people who died from COVID-19 had underlying health conditions. Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 5,217 people (99 percent of the cases reported by Public Health); 50% of deaths occurred among Latino/Latinx residents, 24% among White residents, 15% among Asian residents, 10% among African American/Black residents, less than 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other races.

Testing results are available for 2,182,882 individuals with 10% of all people testing positive.

“I want to extend my sincere sympathy to all our L.A. County residents that are grieving the loss of a family member, friend, co-worker or loved one. Your loss is not unnoticed, and we keep you in our hearts during these days of sadness,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “The positive trends that the county is seeing are encouraging and reflect less transmission of the virus at workplaces and in the community. We must continue taking all the actions that got us to this place. Residents are urged to physically distance from those not in their household, wash hands frequently, avoid gatherings and crowds, and wear a clean cloth face covering that securely covers both their nose and mouth when in contact with others. not part of their household. These are the actions we each take for each other that help the county in its recovery efforts.”

It’s important if someone thinks they could be positive for COVID-19 and are awaiting testing results, to stay at home and act as if they are positive. This means self-isolating for 10 days and 72 hours after symptoms and fever subside. If a person tests positive for COVID-19, they should plan on receiving a call from a public health specialist to discuss how to protect themselves and others, to find out where they may have been, and who they were in close contact with while infectious.

Public Health has a dedicated call line for confirmed cases of COVID-19. If you are positive for COVID-19 and have not yet connected with a public health specialist or need more information on services, call toll-free at 1-833-540-0473. Residents who do not have COVID-19 should continue to call 211 for resources or more information.

The Reopening Protocols, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, Roadmap to Recovery, Recovery Dashboard, and additional things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

Please see additional information below:

Laboratory Confirmed Cases 231695 Total Cases*

Deaths 5545

Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

Hospitalization

Deaths Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

CITY / COMMUNITY (Rate**)

These numbers are subject to change based on further investigation. Sixty-five cases and two death previously reported were not in Public Health's jurisdiction. * Means that case numbers include cases associated with correctional facility outbreaks located in the city/community. **Rate is crude and is per 100,000. This represents the number of cases per 100,000 people and allows for the proportional comparison of cities of different sizes.

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:

The Department of Public Health is committed to promoting health equity and ensuring optimal health and well-being for all 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. Through a variety of programs, community partnerships and services, Public Health oversees environmental health, disease control, and community and family health. Nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health comprises nearly 4,500 employees and has an annual budget of $1.2 billion. To learn more about Los Angeles County Public Health, please visit www.publichealth .lacounty.gov, and follow LA County Public Health on social media at twitter.com/lacounty.gov, and follow LA County Public Health on social media at twitter.com/lapublichealth, facebook.com/lapublichealth, instagram.com/lapublichealth and youtube.com/lapublichealth.




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