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:

August 21, 2020

Public Health Sees Increase in MIS-C Cases in L.A. County Children and 46 New Deaths and 1,759 New Cases of Confirmed COVID- 19 in Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) is reporting nine additional cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). This brings the total cases of MIS-C in L.A. County to 25 children.

Twenty-eight percent of these cases were between the ages of 0 and 5 years old, 44% were between the ages of 6 and 12 years old, and 28% were between the ages of 13 and 20 years old. The majority of cases (68%) were Latino/Latinx.

No children with MIS-C in L.A. County have died.

MIS-C is a condition that affects children under 21 years old across the country who may have been exposed to COVID-19 or had COVID-19. Different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs and there can be lifelong health impacts.

Public Health advises physicians to consider for MIS-C in patient children under 21 years old and to notify the department immediately of any cases.

Today, Public Health has confirmed 46 new deaths and 1,759 new cases of COVID-19. Of the new cases reported by Public Health today (excluding Long Beach and Pasadena), 72% occurred in people under the age of 50 years old.

To date, Public Health has identified 229,054 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County, and a total of 5,491 deaths. Testing results are available for nearly 2,154,000 individuals with 10% of all people testing positive.

Of the 46 new deaths reported today, 18 people that passed away (excluding Long Beach and Pasadena) were over the age of 80 years old, 15 people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79 years old, nine people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64 years old, two people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49 years old, and one person who died was between the ages of 18 and 29 years old. Thirty-five people had underlying health conditions including 14 people over the age of 80 years old, 13 people between the ages of 65 and 79 years old, six people between the ages of 50 and 64 years old, one person between the ages of 30 and 49 years old, and one person between the ages of 18 and 29 years old. One death was reported by the City of Long Beach.

"Our hearts go out to the many families who are experiencing the sadness of losing a love one to this pandemic," said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “Today we report another death that occurred in a young adult under the age of 29. This is a reminder that the risk for having negative outcomes due to COVID-19 is for all ages. No matter how young you are, this virus can be deadly. We continue to see more young people drive new infections and have more severe adverse health outcomes to COVID-19 including children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome. We must continue to work together to lower transmission among people of all ages, so please continue to wear a face covering, stay home when sick, wash hands frequently, and do not gather with people you don’t live with.”

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 5,167 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. Upon further investigation, 51 cases and one death reported earlier were not LA County residents.

There are 1,347 confirmed cases currently hospitalized and 32% of these people are confirmed cases in the ICU.

High temperatures continue to be forecast for many areas throughout LA County. Please avoid unnecessary outdoor activity to limit your exposure to unhealthy air and remember to take steps to stay cool and hydrated throughout the day while still practicing physical distancing and avoiding gatherings. Check in with relatives and friends especially those who are sick, older adults, pregnant women, and children, and those who live alone. You should also visit your power company’s website or contact them by phone to determine if you are scheduled for a rolling power outage.

As Health Officer Orders remain in effect, Public Health, City and County partners have planned ways to safely operate cooling centers to provide the public relief from the extreme heat. Cooling centers adhere to strict infection control and distancing measures. Residents who do not have access to air conditioning are encouraged to take advantage of these free cooling centers. To find a location near you, visit https://ready.lacounty.gov/heat/ or call 211.

Public Health has a dedicated call line for any person with a positive lab result. If you are positive for COVID-19 and have not yet connected with a public health specialist, the department urges you to call 1-833-540-0473 to connect with a public health specialist who can provide information about services and support. 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/media/Coronavirus/

Please see additional information below:

Laboratory Confirmed Cases 229054 Total Cases*

Deaths 5491

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. 51 cases and one 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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