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313 N. Figueroa Street, Room 806  |  Los Angeles, CA 90012  |  (213) 288-8144  |  media@ph.lacounty.gov

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For Immediate Release:

September 20, 2020

Public Health Reports 23 New Deaths and 991 New Positive Cases of Confirmed COVID-19 In Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 23 new deaths and 991 new cases of confirmed COVID-19. Today’s lower numbers are likely to represent a weekend lag in reporting cases and deaths.

To date, Public Health has identified 260,797 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County, and a total of 6,353 deaths. There are currently 765 people hospitalized, of which 30% are confirmed cases in the ICU. Upon further investigation, 11 cases reported earlier were not L.A. County residents.

Of the new cases reported today, 69% are of people under the age of 50 years old. Residents between the ages of 30 and 49 years old have the highest number of new cases among all age groups in LA County, 34% of new cases today.

As a reminder, being around people who aren’t part of your household puts you at a greater risk for COVID-19, which is why it is so important to stay at home as much as possible and avoid all gatherings, of any size, with people who are not part of your household.

Testing results are available for 2,542,479 individuals with 10% of all people testing positive.

“Through these difficult times, we mourn with all of you who have lost someone you love to COVID-19. We are deeply sorry for your loss, and wish you healing and peace,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “As we prepare for the fall, we must acknowledge that COVID-19 remains a significant threat. The difference between now and the early months of the pandemic, is that we have a much better idea of how to effectively protect each other from becoming infected. Given the reality that as many as 50% of those infected are able to transmit the virus to others may have no symptoms, taking universal precautions in every interaction with others who are not in your household, is absolutely essential. We need to commit to the behaviors we know will reduce our infection rate and slow the spread of the virus: wearing face coverings, avoiding gatherings with people we don’t live with, washing our hands frequently, and keeping physical distance from others. These are effective tools, that when used consistently, save lives.”

Of the 22 new deaths reported today (excluding Long Beach and Pasadena), 10 people that passed away were over the age of 80, eight people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79 years old, three people that passed away were between the ages of 50 and 64 years old and one person who died was between the ages of 30 and 49 years old. Twenty-one people had underlying health conditions including nine people over the age of 80 years old, eight people between the ages of 65 and 79 years old, three people between the ages of 50 and 64 years old and one person between the ages of 30 and 49 years old.

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 5,976 people (99 percent of the cases reported by Public Health); 51% of deaths occurred among Latino/Latinx residents, 23% 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.

Public Health has a dedicated call line for confirmed cases of COVID-19. If you are positive for COVID-19 and have not yet connected with a public health specialist or need more information on services, call toll-free at 1-833-540-0473. 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.

Please see additional information below:

Laboratory Confirmed Total Cases 260797 *

Deaths 6353

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. Eleven cases previously 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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