Los Angeles County public health reported 12 deaths related to the novel coronavirus on Monday, May 25, among the lowest number of deaths reported in a single day since the pandemic began in March.
The last time fewer deaths were reported in L.A. County related to the coronavirus occurred on April 3 when 11 deaths were announced.
Also Monday, the county reported 1,047 new cases, up to more than 46,000 now, nearly half of all confirmed cases in California.
A total of 2,116 people in L.A. County have died from complications related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, representing more than half of the state’s total deaths. By comparison, on a typical year, roughly 250 people are confirmed to have died of the flu.
Monday’s report, which came on the Memorial Day holiday, follows a general decline in coronavirus deaths and new cases reported over the past week, though officials have been cautious in the past about attributing too much into daily reports as they can often be the results of backlogs in reporting. A few days with low counts, especially during weekends, are often followed by a day of exceptionally high numbers.
Health officials expected to see the numbers of confirmed cases rise as the amount of tests performed kept increasing. The county has tested nearly half a million people now with roughly 8% of them testing positive.
Hospitalizations, one of the most important metrics for knowing whether spread of the virus was slowing, continued its downward trajectory now with 1,440 people admitted. Among them, 28% were receiving intensive care and 18% were on ventilators. At the peak of the outbreak in Los Angeles on April 29, nearly 2,000 people were hospitalized.
With crowds flocking to beaches and parks over the Memorial Day holiday, officials will be watching that hospitalizations continue to remain steady as they assess public behavior and whether to continue easing social distancing requirements.
“On this Memorial Day, as we join with those mourning the loss of their loved ones to COVID -19, including the families of the 1100 veterans who recently passed away from COVID-19, we want to honor the memory of all the members of the armed forces who courageously gave of themselves to protect our country,” said Barbara Ferrer, Director of Public Health.
Ferrer said the county would take to heart the lessons of courage and caring that marked the Memorial Day holiday as the county prepared to reopen more parts of society.
“As we prepare to re-open many places and spaces that are still closed,” Ferrer said, “it will require an extraordinary effort by all of us to prevent outbreaks among workers and residents.”
County health officials will likely be busy this week. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday opened the door for counties to reopen in-store retail shopping and religious services with fewer 100 people or 25% capacity.
For those guidelines to go into effect in Los Angeles, it will require approval from the county health department. A representative for the department did not respond to questions on Monday and there was no mention of the governor’s announcement in Monday’s statement from the department.
