KTLA

L.A. County sees 3rd straight day with at least 2,000 new COVID-19 cases

Barbara Ferrer, director of L.A. County’s Department of Public Health. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles County health officials Saturday announced more than 2,400 new COVID-19 cases, marking the third consecutive day with more than 2,000 confirmed infections and signaling that the disease is “widespread and increasing in L.A. County.”

Infections are surging in L.A. County and around much of the nation in daily numbers not seen since August, according to a news release from the county Department of Public Health. County officials also confirmed 15 more deaths from the disease.

“Our metrics this week are concerning and confirm that transmission of COVID-19 is widespread and increasing in L.A County,” the department said in its statement. “To date, Public Health identified 319,977 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 7,170 deaths.”

There are 840 people with COVID-19 in county hospitals; 30% of them are in intensive care, officials said.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.