LISTING OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH PRESS RELEASES
News Release
Los Angeles County Public Health Logo

313 N. Figueroa Street, Room 806  |  Los Angeles, CA 90012  |  (213) 240-8144  |  media@ph.lacounty.gov

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For Immediate Release:

May 15, 2020

Los Angeles County Announces 47 New Deaths Related to 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) - 962 New Cases of Confirmed COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 47 new deaths and 962 new cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Thirty-seven people who died were over the age of 65 years old and five people who died were between the ages of 41 to 65 years old. Thirty-two people had underlying health conditions including 30 people over the age of 65 years old and two people between the ages of 41 to 65 years old. Five deaths were reported by the City of Long Beach.

To date, Public Health has identified 36,259 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of LA County, and a total of 1,755 deaths. Ninety-two percent of people who died had underlying health conditions. Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 1,615 people (99 percent of the cases); 38% of deaths occurred among Latinx residents, 29% among White residents, 18% among Asian residents, 12% among African American residents, 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other races. Upon further investigation, 32 cases and one death reported earlier were not LA County residents. As of today, 5,727 people who tested positive for COVID-19 (16% of positive cases) have been hospitalized at some point during their illness. There are 1,733 people who are currently hospitalized, 25% of these people are in the ICU and 18% are on ventilators. Testing capacity continues to increase in LA County, with testing results available for over 282,000 individuals and 11% of people testing positive.

Public Health continues to track health outcomes by race, ethnicity and income level data of people who have been tested, hospitalized and died from COVID-19. African Americans, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders, and people living in communities with high levels of poverty continue to have the highest rate of death per 100,000 people for COVID-19 when compared to other groups. Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders have a death rate of 89, African Americans have a death of 18, and people living in communities with high levels of poverty have a death rate of 29. These rates are significantly higher than the death rate of other races and ethnicities. The death rate for people who identify as Latinx is 16, for Asian is 12, and for White is 9. Public Health continues collaboration with community partners to improve testing, connection to care and communications to the communities experiencing these inequitable outcomes.

"For all of you across our community who are mourning someone you love who has passed away from COVID-19, our hearts ache for you. You are in our thoughts and prayers every day,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “Today we will begin posting our Recovery Dashboard on our website. This Dashboard presents important data indicators we are tracking to assess our ability to continue slowing the spread of COVID-19 in LA County. We will use this information to guide decisions on how to move forward on our recovery journey."

The Health Officer Order issued earlier this week, replaced the previous Health Officer Order and allows for retailers and manufacturers, select recreational facilities and beaches to reopen. All retailers can reopen for curbside, door-side, outside pickup, or delivery only and manufacturing and logistic businesses that supply retail businesses can also reopen. Before retail businesses, manufacturing and logistic businesses reopen, they are required to prepare, implement and post their plan for adhering to directives including distancing and infection control practices that protect both employees and customers. Select recreational facilities, community gardens, and beaches for active recreation only are now open. Everyone must continue to practice physical distancing of at least six feet apart and wear a clean cloth face covering that securely covers both your nose and mouth when you are in contact with other people not in your household. This Order continues to require that specific higher-risk businesses remain closed and prohibits public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring outside a single household unit.

Public Health will assess the activities allowed by the Order on an ongoing basis and modify the Order as appropriate. Residents will also be able to track progress on the Recovery Dashboard. Currently, LA County is in stage two of the five-stage Roadmap to Recovery and until the final stage five is reached, Health Officer Orders and directives will continue to ensure that we slow spread of COVID-19 to prevent an overwhelming surge of COVID-19 cases at healthcare facilities.

The best protection against COVID-19 is to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, self-isolate if you are sick, practice physical distancing (especially by staying at home) 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. An interactive dashboard is available that provides an overview on COVID-19 testing, cases and deaths along with maps and graphs showing testing, cases and death data by community poverty level, age, sex and race/ethnicity. To view Public Health's COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard, visit: http://dashboard.publichealth.lacounty.gov/covid19_surveillance_dashboard/ .

The Health Officer Order, 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 -- 36259 Total Cases*

Deaths 1755

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. Thirty-two cases and one death reported earlier 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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