On Saturday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health released new data on Covid-19, reporting 40 new deaths and 839 new positive cases.
While Public Health said that hospitalizations have dropped under 600, case numbers and deaths reported may reflect delays in weekend reporting.
The department’s data brings L.A. County to a total of 23,274 deaths, and 1,221,605 confirmed cases.
COVID-19 Hospitalizations Drop Under 600 in L.A. County. 40 New Deaths and 839 New Positive Cases of Confirmed COVID-19 in Los Angeles County. View https://t.co/DjSCS9YX42 for more. pic.twitter.com/i2IeGF0rE0
— LA Public Health (@lapublichealth) April 3, 2021
At time of reporting, 596 L.A. County residents are hospitalized with Covid-19, 27% of whom are in the ICU. L.A.’s number of daily hospitalizations is now similar to that seen in March of 2020, the 3-day average being 627.
Eight of today’s new deaths were of individuals over the age of 80, with 20 people between the ages of 65 and 79 lost to the virus. Seven individuals who died were between 50 and 64 years years of age, with three dying between ages 30 and 49, and one between the ages of 18 and 29. Of the deaths reported, one came from the City of Long Beach.
To date, testing results have been made available to more than 6,1234,3000 individuals, with 19% testing positive. Today’s daily test positivity rate is 1.3%.
Public Health is also continuing to track cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) within the County. A serious inflammatory condition associated with Covid-19 affecting those under the age of 21, MIS-C has led to the death of one L.A. County child, while affecting 158 in total. All children with MIS-C were hospitalized, with 40% being treated in the ICU. 73% of reported cases of the condition involve Latino/Latinx children.
Today, Public Heath Director Barbara Ferrer noted that “the declining number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 is a very encouraging trend.”
Added Ferrer, “We will continue to make progress slowing transmission, preventing suffering, and saving lives when we all do our part to keep each other safe by following the rules and getting vaccinated when it is our turn.”
Currently, Covid-19 vaccines are available to all L.A. residents between the ages of 50 and 64, along with other eligible groups. Starting April 15, vaccines will be available to all residents 16 years and older.
On Monday, L.A County will enter the orange tier of California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Orange County, meanwhile, will enter the less restrictive tier on Wednesday, March 31.
When L.A. goes orange, stores, houses of worship, museums, zoos and aquariums will be allowed an indoor capacity of 50%. Movie theaters and restaurants will likewise be permitted an indoors capacity of 50%, or 200 people—whichever is fewer. Meanwhile, gyms, fitness centers and yoga studios will increase capacity to 25%. Bars will reopen, but only for outdoor activity, with masking and social distancing enforced—and breweries will be at a capacity of 25%, or 100 people, whichever is fewer. Outdoor sports and live performances will be permitted 33% capacity, with theme parks at 25%.
On April 15, Covid-19 restrictions will ease further, allowing large parties, events and receptions to once again take place in Los Angeles County.