Los Angeles County health officials reported an additional 47 deaths and 962 coronavirus cases Friday, bringing the death toll to 1,755 and the total number of cases to 36,259.
Although cases continue to increase, the rate of spread has been reduced, Barbara Ferrer, the county’s public health director, said at a Friday briefing.
“We’re now down to infecting one person for every infected person. When we started our journey, three people were becoming infected by every person who was affected,” she said.
Ferrer revealed five criteria that health officials are observing to determine the county’s capability of slowing the spread of COVID-19.
The criteria include: having at least 10% of all hospital intensive care unit beds available each day; having at least 20% of ventilators available; at least 60% percent of hospitals having over 15 days worth of personal protective equipment; ensuring 90% of all newly reported cases are followed up within one day of being referred for investigation; and at least 15,000 tests can be provided each day throughout the county.
If the five criteria are met, health officials will then look at the following: whether average deaths have decreased or remain stable for the last 14 days, which will be tracked by race, ethnicity and area poverty; average number of people who are currently hospitalized for COVID-19; and percentage of skilled nursing facilities with positive cases that offer testing to all residents and staff.
Health officials announced that more than half of people who died from COVID-19 in the county resided in an institutional setting, including nursing homes, jails and other types of assisted-living facilities.
The vast majority of the 892 people who had died after residing at a facility in the county lived at a nursing home, Ferrer said.
The county is beginning a new round of inspections at every such facility, Ferrer said.
The announcement comes as most local, community and regional parks were reopened Friday for use from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. And, all residents should have a mask with them when they leave their home, according to the county’s updated health order.
On Wednesday, officials announced the new health order that does not have an end date but allows more businesses and outdoor spaces to reopen under strict guidelines.
