The total number of COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County grew by 1,065 in the last 24 hours, bringing the countywide total of cases to 24,215.
In the last day, L.A. County Department of Public Health officials reported 62 new deaths related to COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,172.
The total number of cases in the Santa Clarita Valley had risen by 17 in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number to 496.
“We’ve had devastating losses across the communities during the month of April,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the Public Health Department.
Of those who died in the last day, 46 were over the age of 65 and 39 of those had underlying conditions. Seven people who died were between 41-65 and all had underlying conditions, and one person was between the age of 18-40 and did not have underlying conditions, Ferrer said.
The mortality rate countywide is 4.83% of confirmed cases, and 21% of all those who have tested positive have been hospitalized, said Ferrer.
Of the total number of cases, 182 have been among homeless people countywide, and 15 shelters are under investigation by DPH.
Ferrer said the Centers for Disease Control had updated its guidance for those testing positive to self-isolate for 10 days as opposed to the original seven days. Each time requirement also includes an extra 72 hours after the fever and symptoms subsided.
“If you are asymptomatic, test positive and you have no symptoms, you still have to isolate for 10 days,” said Ferrer.
The CDC, Ferrer said, is also asking people who have come in close contact with those who are COVID-19 positive to quarantine for 14 days.
“Ninety-five percent of us have still not been infected,” said Ferrer. “And until there’s a vaccine, most residents in L.A. County can be infected at any time over the months to come … We could see a big spike in new cases and we need to all do our part to make sure we avoid the situation.”
Ferrer said this included practicing social distancing and other control measures after the stay-at-home order concludes, which is currently at least until May 15.
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital said, as of Friday, it had administered 769 tests: 149 were positive, 620 were negative, eight were pending, 15 people were in the hospital and 48 people had been discharged.
Patrick Moody, a spokesman for the hospital, said no additional deaths related to COVID-19 had been reported as of Friday at the hospital, with the total number of deaths at Henry Mayo related to COVID-19 remaining at four.
The number of cases for the SCV, broken down into region, were as follows, according to Public Health’s numbers as of Friday afternoon:
City of Santa Clarita: 378
Unincorporated – Acton: 8
Unincorporated – Agua Dulce: 1
Unincorporated – Bouquet Canyon: 0
Unincorporated – Canyon Country: 25
Unincorporated – Castaic: 21
Unincorporated – Lake Hughes: 0
Unincorporated – Newhall: 0
Unincorporated – Placerita Canyon: 0
Unincorporated – San Francisquito Canyon/Bouquet Canyon: 0
Unincorporated – Sand Canyon: 0
Unincorporated – Saugus: 3
Unincorporated – Saugus/Canyon Country: 0
Unincorporated – Stevenson Ranch: 16
Unincorporated – Val Verde: 39
Unincorporated – Valencia: 5
To view all coronavirus-related stories, visit signalscv.com/category/news/coronavirus.
