L.A. County surpasses 5K deaths

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Los Angeles County Department of Public Health officials announced 63 new deaths related to COVID-19 on Tuesday, bringing the countywide death toll to 5,057.

“L.A. County has hit a tragic milestone today — more than 5,000 of our friends, family, neighbors and co-workers have died because of COVID-19,” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a prepared statement. “This is heartbreaking and reminds us of the human toll of this pandemic.”

Public Health also reported 1,440 additional COVID-19 cases in L.A. County, bringing the total to 211,808. Of the newly reported cases, 31 were in the Santa Clarita Valley, with 24 in the city of Santa Clarita, three in Stevenson Ranch, and one each in Canyon Country, Lake Hughes, Saugus and Val Verde. 

These figures are low due to missing lab reports from one of the larger labs, nor do they include the backlog of cases expected from the state’s undercount, which Public Health officials said should be reconciled later this week.

Data related to hospitalizations has not been impacted by the backlog, and on Tuesday, 1,524 confirmed COVID-19 patients were currently hospitalized countywide, of whom 32% are in the ICU, per Public Health. These figures are substantially lower than the 2,200 hospitalized in mid-July.

Of the 63 new deaths reported Tuesday: 31 were over the age of 80, 27 of whom had underlying health conditions; 16 were between the ages of 65 and 79, 15 of whom had underlying health conditions; 13 were between the ages of 50 and 64, 12 of whom had underlying health conditions; and one was between the ages of 18 and 29 and had underlying health conditions. The remaining deaths were reported by the city of Long Beach, which has its own public health department.

“One of the deaths we are reporting today is of a young adult under the age of 29,” Ferrer added in the statement. “This is a reminder that the risk for all of us is real and that no matter how young you are, this virus can be deadly. We must continue to adopt practices that slow the spread of this virus; this allows us to prevent these untimely deaths. Please practice physical distancing, wear a face covering, wash your hands and avoid gathering with people you don’t live with.”

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital officials reported Friday 5,697 tests have been conducted since the onset of the pandemic. Of those individuals tested — many of whom are tested more than once — 700 returned positive, 6,356 were negative and 106 remain outstanding, according to hospital spokesman Patrick Moody. A total of 206 people have recovered and returned home, while nine remained in the hospital Friday.

The number of SCV cases, including all area health care providers’ daily figures and those at Pitchess Detention Center, totaled 4,803 Tuesday, broken down into region, are as follows: 

City of Santa Clarita: 2,503
Unincorporated – Acton: 54
Unincorporated – Agua Dulce: 21
Unincorporated – Bouquet Canyon: 4
Unincorporated – Canyon Country: 97
Unincorporated – Castaic: 1,870 (majority of Castaic cases come from Pitchess Detention Center, exact number unavailable)
Unincorporated – Lake Hughes: 2
Unincorporated – Newhall: 6
Unincorporated – Placerita Canyon: 0
Unincorporated – San Francisquito Canyon/Bouquet Canyon: 0
Unincorporated – Sand Canyon: 5
Unincorporated – Saugus: 21
Unincorporated – Saugus/Canyon Country: 1
Unincorporated – Stevenson Ranch: 131
Unincorporated – Val Verde: 50
Unincorporated – Valencia: 38

To view all coronavirus-related stories, visit signalscv.com/category/news/coronavirus.

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