Deaths from COVID-19 in California are reaching record levels this week, a grim sign of how even advances in medical care and a younger demographic of those infected are no match for the relentless spread of the coronavirus.
Southern California and the Central Valley are by far the state’s biggest contributors of total deaths in the last week. Of nearly 950 deaths reported in California in the last week, a Times analysis shows that more than 300 fatalities were reported in L.A. County, followed by nearly 80 in San Bernardino County, about 70 each in Riverside and San Diego counties and nearly 60 in Orange County.
Deaths were also rising in Northern California, but not at the numbers seen in the Southland.
California this week broke its single-day record for COVID-19 deaths — 219 on Tuesday. The state is now averaging 135 deaths a day over a seven-day period, coming close to the all-time high of 144 set in August. Health officials expect deaths to continue spiking in the coming weeks as it’s becoming clear many people got infected during the Thanksgiving holiday.
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