More than 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Los Angeles County, with 44 new deaths related to the virus, the LA County Department of Public Health announced Saturday.
With the new figures, the death toll in LA County related to the novel coronavirus grew to 1,512. With 1,011 new cases confirmed Saturday, the county had identified 31,197 cases of COVID-19.
"Many people in our community are experiencing profound loss because their loved ones have passed away from COVID-19. We keep you in our thoughts and prayers every day,” Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd said in a statement. “If you are out and about this weekend, please take every precaution since anyone of us, even if we are not sick, could be infected with COVID-19 and capable of infecting others. When outside your home, always stay 6 feet away from everyone and wear a cloth face covering securely over your nose and mouth if there are others near you. These actions are critically important as we begin the journey of recovery so that we don’t find ourselves with large increases in hospitalizations and deaths that would require us to reinstitute restrictions.”
Ninety-two percent of the deaths in LA County related to the virus were in people who had underlying conditions, the department of Public Health said. Of the people who died, information about race is known for 99% of the victims: 38% of deaths occurred among Latinx residents, 29% among White residents, 19% among Asian residents, 12% among African American residents, 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other races. African Americans, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 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.
As of Saturday, 17% of positive cases--5,363 people--had been hospitalized at some point during their illness, according to the Department of Public Health.
For more information on a breakdown of cases by location, click here.
