More Than 50 COVID-19 Deaths Reported in L.A. County; Highest 1-Day Total

L.A. County once again reported its deadliest day in the fight against the Coronavirus.

Officials reported 55 new deaths on Wednesday, the highest single-day total to date, providing a grim reminder of the virus’ threat, even as local and national authorities lay out paths for reopening businesses and lifting stay-at-home orders.

The county also announced 399 new cases of coronavirus countywide, bringing the overall total to 10,854.

The newly announced deaths pushed the county’s overall total to 455, while also increasing the mortality rate — the percentage of people with the illness who have died — to 4.2 percent, well above the 1.8 percent rate reported at the beginning of April.

Ferrer noted that 88 percent of the people who have died in the county had underlying health conditions. She also continued to note a higher death rate among the black population.

“We are working with our community partners to respond to the disproportionate number of deaths among African-Americans,” Ferrer said. “This includes addressing issues related to access to testing, health services and accurate information about COVID-19.”

Of the 390 deaths for which race information is available, 33 percent were Latinx, 31 percent were white, 17 percent were Asian and 16 percent were black, with 3 percent listing some other ethnicity, Ferrer said.

She noted that 35 percent of all of the county’s deaths — 158 — occurred among residents of nursing homes or assisted living facilities. A total of 1,963 cases have been reported at institutional settings in the county, including nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, shelters, jails and prisons. A total of 33 cases have been confirmed among the homeless, including seven who lived at six shelters across the area. There have been 71 cases to date in jail facilities in the county, with 15 inmates and 56 staff members testing positive, while 50 cases have occurred in prisons, among 39 inmates and 11 staff. Ferrer said one death was reported at a federal prison. She said the person who died was a staff member, however, federal prison officials announced Wednesday that an inmate at the Terminal Island prison in San Pedro had died.

More than 70,000 people have been tested for the coronavirus in the county thus far, with roughly 11 percent turning out to be positive.

Ferrer reported Monday there have been 787 cases of the virus reported among health care workers, roughly one-third of them being nurses, while about 9 percent are doctors. She said three people have died, two who worked in hospitals and one correctional health worker.

According to Ferrer, the case numbers involving health care workers will be updated weekly.