L.A. County health officials reported another 28 deaths and 568 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday as the state prepares to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Dr. Barbara Ferrer, the Director of Public Health for the county, of the 28 deaths, 22 were over the age of 65 and four were between the ages of 41 and 65. At least 22 people had underlying health conditions, including 18 people over the age of 65.
“Our community has suffered many losses to COVID-19, and to the families and friends who are mourning their loved ones, we are deeply sorry, and we wish you healing and peace,” said Ferrer. “As we plan for our recovery, I want to emphasize that all of us share in the responsibility to reopen in a way that is safe and that does not cause a spike in COVID-19 cases that results in an overwhelmed health care system and deaths that could have been prevented. Recovery is a journey – one that will take many months – and I want us all to be prepared that there will be a 'new normal' during this period that will require us to continue to practice physical distancing and other infection control measures.”
Since the pandemic began, the Department of Public Health has identified a total of 26,217 cases of the novel coronavirus across all areas of Los Angeles county. The countywide death toll also reached 1,256 on Monday.
Health officials also provided updated guidance on how long people who are positive for COVID-19 self-isolate from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC said that new evidence showed that it may take longer than initially believed for the virus to shed, meaning the infected person could infect other people for longer than previously thought. The updated guidelines state that people who are positive or presumed positive for COVID-19 to self-isolate for at least 10 days and 72 hours after fever and symptoms subside.
The number of confirmed cases around Southern California include:
- Los Angeles County: 26,217 cases - 1,256 deaths
- Orange County: 2,819 cases - 57 deaths
- Riverside County: 4,180 cases - 161 deaths
- Ventura County: 566 cases - 19 deaths
- San Bernardino County: 2,182 cases - 97 deaths
- San Diego County: 3,927 cases - 139 deaths
Statewide, there are more than 55,070 cases with at least 2,222 deaths reported. According to data collected by Johns Hopkins University, there are more than 1,171,041 cases nationwide with the death toll reaching 68,285 by Monday afternoon.