County officials provide updates, and answer questions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic for June 10th, 2020.

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 61 new deaths and 1,275 new cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Forty-two people who died were over the age of 65 years old, 13 people who died were between the ages of 41 and 65 years old, and three people who died were between the ages of 18 to 40. Forty-nine people had underlying health conditions including 37 people over the age of 65 years old, nine people between the ages of 41 to 65 years old and three people between the ages of 18 and 40 years old. Three deaths were reported by the City of Long Beach.

To date, Public Health has identified 67,064 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of LA County, and a total of 2,768 deaths. Ninety-three percent of people who died had underlying health conditions. Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 2,569 people (99 percent of the cases reported by Public Health) 41% of deaths occurred among Latino/Latinx residents, 28% among White residents, 17% among Asian residents, 12% among African American residents, 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and residents identifying with other races. Upon further investigation, 33 cases reported earlier were not LA County residents. As of today, 7,097 people who tested positive for COVID-19 (11% of positive cases) have been hospitalized at some point during their illness. There are 1,458 people who are currently hospitalized, 29% of these people are in the ICU and 20% are on ventilators. Testing capacity continues to increase in LA County, with testing results available for over 732,000 individuals and 8% of people testing positive.

A modified Health Officer Order and directives for the reopening of additional businesses will be issued tomorrow with an effective date of June 12. The Health Officer order will allow for the following sectors to reopen once they implement the required protocols for infection control and distancing:

• Gyms and fitness facilities
• Pro-league arenas without live audiences
• Day camps
• Museums, galleries, zoos and aquariums
• Campgrounds, RV parks and outdoor recreation
• Music, film and television production
• Hotels for leisure travel

As with all businesses that are permitted to reopen, the Health Officer Order contains protocols for reopening to ensure it is done as safely as possible for employees, customers and residents. Employees and visitors to these businesses will need to wear a cloth face covering when around other people and practice physical distancing of at least 6 feet at all times. It is so important for everyone to follow the directives and to do their part every day to keep everyone as safe as possible.

“To the many families who are experiencing the profound grief of losing a loved one to COVID-19, we are so sorry, and we wish you healing and peace during this very sad time,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “As more spaces reopen, it is so important for all of us – businesses and residents – to follow directives and to do our part to keep everyone as safe as possible. This is crucial if we are to reopen without creating huge increases in cases, hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19. These actions save lives.”

With support from Public Health, the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and the City of Los Angeles, 272 skilled nursing facilities have tested all residents and staff, and an additional 43 are scheduled for testing. This will complete initial testing at all 315 skilled nursing facilities in LA County, not including Long Beach and Pasadena. Of the over 25,000 people tested among both residents and staff, 7% tested positive for COVID-19 and 83% of the people testing positive were asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic. Public Health continues to assist skilled nursing facilities complete testing, conduct on-site inspections, provide guidance on the use of personal protective equipment and reinforce how to communicate with employees, residents, family members, and other key partners.

If anyone has been in a crowded setting, where people are congregating who are not using face coverings or distancing, or if you had close contact (within 6 feet for greater than 15 minutes) with non-household members who were not wearing face coverings please consider the following:

• Remain in your residence, away from others, in quarantine for 14 days.
• If you live with persons who are elderly or have high risk conditions, you should also maintain a six-foot distance and wear a face covering when you are with them at home, avoid preparing food for others, sharing utensils, bedding and towels, and increase cleaning and disinfecting of common surfaces.
• Consider getting tested for COVID-19 if you have been exposed to someone that is positive or likely positive. Testing negative for COVID-19 right after being exposed does not mean you can’t become infected later during the incubation period.
• If anyone was possibly exposed to someone with COVID-19, and the test result is negative, they should remain at home for 14 days to prevent spreading illness to others.

For more information on how to get tested, visit: covid19.lacounty.gov/testing. The Health Officer Order, 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.

The best protection against COVID-19 continues to be to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, self-isolate if you are sick, practice physical distancing and wear a clean face covering when in contact with others from outside your household. People who have underlying health conditions remain at much greater risk for serious illness from COVID-19, so it will continue to be very important for the County’s vulnerable residents to stay at home as much as possible, to have groceries and medicine delivered, and to call their providers immediately if they have even mild symptoms.