Los Angeles County reported 1,590 new cases of COVID-19 and four additional deaths Sunday, bringing the county’s totals to 309,190 cases and 7,074 fatalities.
The number of people hospitalized in the county because of the coronavirus increased from 783 Saturday to 799, with 28% of those people in intensive care, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Health officials have said the county had been averaging about 940 new cases a day at the beginning of October, but is now averaging about 1,200 a day.
Los Angeles County remains entrenched in the most restrictive “purple” tier of the state’s coronavirus economic-reopening matrix. Until the daily case numbers drop to a steady average of about 700 per day, the county will be unable to substantially lift business restrictions or allow school campuses to reopen.
The county had reached that benchmark in September, raising hope it might advance to the less-restrictive “red” tier, but it was unable to maintain those case levels.
Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer stressed the importance of staying the course and obeying public health orders heading into Saturday’s Halloween holiday.
“The stakes are high since our case numbers have already been steadily increasing for the past two weeks,” Ferrer said. “We can’t really afford to repeat what we went through after the July 4th holiday when we saw surges in cases followed by alarming increases in hospitalizations and deaths.”
Health officials have said younger residents represent the bulk of new cases being reported, and they pointed directly to public gatherings — particularly groups of people coming together to watch sporting events either in private settings or at outdoor restaurants — as responsible for the case increases. Beyond just the recent Lakers and Dodgers championship playoff runs, health officials pointed to the start of football season as another factor attracting larger crowds at eateries with television sets.
All bars remain closed in the county, and no spectators are permitted at sporting events, such as Rams and Chargers games at SoFi Stadium.
Another concern is the possibility of spread at large demonstrations, such as those for racial justice and involving the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, where people often come into close contact with each other amid shouting and chanting.
More than 3,140,000 people have been tested in the county since the pandemic began in March, with 9% of all people testing positive.
The number of infections among West Hollywood residents as of today has increased by seven from Saturday’s count to a total to date of 677. The number of people in West Hollywood who have died of COVID-19 related illnesses is still listed as five.
In Beverly Hills, the number of confirmed infections has increased by one from Saturday’s count of 764. The number of COVID-19 related deaths in Beverly Hills to date 12. The number of COVID-19 infections confirmed among Culver City has increased by six from yesterday’s count of 429, bringing the total to date to 435. The number of deaths to date is 28. The number of infections in Hollywood has increased to 1,421 to date, up six from yesterday’s count of 1,415. The number of deaths to date remains at 15. The Melrose neighborhood’s number of infections as of today is 2,182, an increase of eight from yesterday’s 2,174. The number of COVID-19 related deaths to date is reported as 74, a decline from the earlier count of 75. Such changes typically occur when it has been determined that someone’s city of residents was incorrect.
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 can continue to call 211 for resources or more information.
One way the virus can be transmitted is through a cough, a sneeze or even through air that comes from the mouth when someone talks. For that reason, residents must wear face coverings when out in public and can be cited for not doing so. The citations come with a $250 fine and a $50 administrative fee.
West Hollywood residents with questions about the COVID-19 pandemic or who are looking for resources to deal with it can find answers on the City of West Hollywood’s website. Here is a list of links to sections about particular subjects and issues:
