KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
A total of 10,854 coronavirus, COVID-19, cases have been confirmed in Los Angeles County, with the highest number of deaths for the third day in a row since the outbreak began, officials said Thursday.
There have been 399 new cases confirmed Thursday, with 871 in the past 48 hours, according to Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health.
“Every day, we’re getting closer to being able to see a time when more people are going to be able to go back to work and they’ll be more places that will be open. We’re never going to be able to go back to exactly the way it was before COVID-19, but we are moving towards being on the other side of this pandemic,” Ferrer said.
Approximately 70,000 tests have been conducted so far as of Thursday. Of those tested, 11 percent have been positive for COVID-19, according to public health officials.
Testing capacity is continuing to increase countywide, Ferrer said, with additional coronavirus testing sites created, including one in Santa Clarita.
Ferrer wanted to “clear up any confusion” about testing, adding residents should only be tested if they are having symptoms of coronavirus.
There is a molecular test or PCR test being used by providers and at testing sites across the county. This test is able to identify if the person is currently positive or negative for COVID-19, according to Ferrer.
About 26 percent of all coronavirus cases in L.A. County are hospitalized at some point during infection, according to the DPH.
A total of 55 deaths have been reported Thursday, the highest daily total for the third day in a row, nine of which were ages 41-65 with underlying health conditions, bringing the county total to 455, according to Ferrer.
The mortality rate rose to 4.2 percent, according to the public health director.
Ferrer noted that approximately 35 percent of all deaths have occurred in residents of institutional care facilities.
The Department of Public Health is increasing its support for assisted living facilities and is set to provide additional details about cases in these facilities.
The current “Safer at Home” health order has been extended until May 15, as County officials continue efforts to flatten the curve of the coronavirus, according to the DPH.
Face coverings are now required across the county, including in Santa Clarita, in efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, according to the director of public health.
The cloth coverings are required for both employees and the public upon entering essential businesses, according to the DPH.
This new addition to the order went into effect Wednesday, according to Ferrer.
As of Wednesday afternoon, there are 166 confirmed cases in the city of Santa Clarita, nine in Castaic, 11 in Stevenson Ranch and 14 in the unincorporated areas of Canyon Country, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
The numbers for the unincorporated portions of Valencia, Saugus and Bouquet Canyon, as well as nearby Agua Dulce and Acton, have been “suppressed,” meaning there are between one and four confirmed cases for each community, according to public health officials.
Previously, Acton had reported five cases, but the number has been suppressed as of Wednesday.
This is done to protect patient privacy. Once these locations have five or more confirmed cases, the numbers are expected to be included, according to a public health spokesperson.
The next update on the number of cases in the Santa Clarita Valley is expected Thursday afternoon.
See All Coverage Here: Coronavirus Coverage – COVID-19 Map
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Now they say we need masks out there after all the deaths and a huge spread of this virus , those should have been number CDC really failed us on that one
There was a comment from GetRealSCV and it disappeared, I tried also to comment numerous times, and they are not posting my comment. I am going to try again:
I completely agree with you GetRealSCV. We need to stand up for our freedoms and rights as Americans! This has gone on long enough. Over 150 people die every day in LA County, due to heart disease, flu, cancer, car accidents, diabetes, drug overdoes etc.. We will see the unintended consequences of our actions these last few weeks for years to come. There will be way more death and destruction than COVID-19 cases. I am so saddened and disappointed. I may be wrong but Sweden did not impose these restrictions and their numbers appear to be actually less than ours. I pray for the people in this country to wake up.
Right on Stephanie! And who knows how many of the deaths are actually Covid-19 since they already admitted to adding Covid-19 stats to other diseases that are the main cause of death such as heart disease or diabetes.
Your rights do not supersede public safety. All of you clamoring for our state to re-open before adequate testing has taken place are simply wrong. The risks of this virus spiking again is far too great. What is it that you don’t understand about a global pandemic, a deadly virus with no effective or safe vaccine to fight it and an ill informed and unprepared response by the leadership of this country? You erroneously place an emphasis on Sweden, may I remind you their population is only a fraction of ours; approximately 10 million plus whereas, the US population is 328 million. Also, in Sweden the rate of Covid-19 confirmed cases had risen 114% over the last 24 hours; scientists and medical professionals agree Sweden’s “relaxed” response is an utter failure. So no, they are not a model any one should emulate. Mass suffering and unnecessary death, we , the United States can and must do better.
Rights come with responsibilities. they are inseparable; one cannot exist without the other.Suppose I have the virus and pass it on to you. Would I be within my ‘right’ to do so? Of course not. Living in a society requires respect and compassion for others. It’s part of our social contract. Selfish behavior putting others at risk is unacceptable and foolish.
This is the very same mentality, or lack thereof, we see and hear whenever gun rights are discussed. We who insist on meaningful laws to protect us are bludgeoned with the misconstrued second amendment blather. Look at the photos from Michigan of the wide-eyed freaks, mouths wide open proclaiming their ‘right’ to stupidity. Let’s be better than that. Give a little, get a lot. Live!