LISTING OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH PRESS RELEASES
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313 N. Figueroa Street, Room 806  |  Los Angeles, CA 90012  |  (213) 240-8144  |  media@ph.lacounty.gov

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For Immediate Release:

September 08, 2020

Public Health Reports 7 New Deaths and 439 New Positive Cases of Confirmed COVID-19 In Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 7 new deaths and 439 new cases of confirmed COVID-19. Today's low number of new cases and deaths reflect both a lag in reporting and less testing availability over the holiday.

To date, Public Health has identified 249,241 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County, and a total of 6,036 deaths.

There are 942 people who are confirmed cases currently hospitalized and 33% of these people are in the ICU. Testing results are available for more than 2,385,000 individuals with 10% of all people testing positive.

Of the seven new deaths reported today, three people that passed away (excluding Long Beach and Pasadena) were over the age of 80 years old, one person who died was between the ages of 65 and 79 years old, and three people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64 years old. All seven people had underlying health conditions.

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 5,677 people (99 percent of the cases reported by Public Health); 51% 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, 19 cases and one death reported earlier were not L.A. County residents.

"To the family and friends of people who have passed away from COVID-19, we wish you healing and peace," said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. "We thank everyone who modified their holiday plans and actions to avoid exposures to COVID-19. As we prepare for schools re-opening to provide services for high need students that require in-person support, we all must do our very best to minimize participating in non-essential activities that create risk of virus transmission. L.A. County is still among the California counties with high rates of community transmission. Before we get into cooler weather and flu season, we need to significantly lower the number of new cases. This is the only path forward that allows us to get more students back to school and reopen more business sectors."

Because the current combination of fire, smoke, and the high temperatures create conditions that are unhealthy, Public Health urges all individuals in impacted areas to avoid unnecessary outdoor exposure and to limit physical exertion and to also try to keep indoor air as clean as possible by keeping windows and doors closed as much as possible. If it is too hot during the day to keep doors or windows closed and you do not have an air conditioning unit that re-circulates indoor air, consider going to an air-conditioned place, such as a cooling center.

Cooling centers are open and safe places to go to avoid the extreme heat because every cooling center adheres to all Public Health COVID-19 directives and offer a protected place for people to go. Residents who have limited ability to remain cool and safe from the high temperatures are encouraged to take advantage of these free cooling centers. To find a location near you, https://ready.lacounty.gov/heat/ or call 211.

The Reopening Protocols, COVID-19 Data Dashboard, Recovery Metrics, 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 249241 Total Cases*

Deaths 6036

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. 19 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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