9 homeless people in L.A. County test positive for coronavirus

Outreach nurse Kenya Smith, right, leaves food for Davis Soto, who is homeless, in March 2020 in Los Angeles. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

by: Los Angeles Times

Posted: Apr 2, 2020 / 05:57 PM PDT

Updated: Apr 2, 2020 / 05:57 PM PDT

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There are nine confirmed cases of coronavirus among Los Angeles’ homeless population, said Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, at her Thursday media briefing.

This is up from five the day before and comes as the city and county attempt to more aggressively test in places like skid row. Ferrer said it was challenging to know exactly where in the county these homeless people had been, but so far there had been no clustering of cases.

She said there had been cases at two shelters but didn’t reveal their names or locations.

The Times reported earlier this week that the first confirmed case on skid row came from an employee of the Union Rescue Mission who lived in the shelter.

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