Los Angeles County residents are keeping their social distance and wearing masks while in businesses during the first weekend of relaxed “Safer at Home” orders.  

On Friday, certain retail businesses were allowed to reopen with curbside pickup, as the County moves into phase two of reopening, according to Supervisor Kathryn Barger. 

 “As we reopen, we must ensure distancing requirements remain in place and make sure our case numbers are manageable,” Barger said. 

The County is working to achieve the four benchmarks announced last month needed to relax the public health orders.

First is the capacity to care for those with COVID-19, second ensuring the protection of the most vulnerable, third the ability to increase in the ability to test isolate and quarantine and the ability to ensure ongoing social distancing. 

 “We remain committed to meet our goals to reopen even more businesses and organizations and reunite loved ones,” Barger said. 

In addition to businesses, County trails and golf courses also opened Friday, with residents following social distancing measures.

The Department of Public Health inspected 410 businesses that reopened on Friday, with 162 in violation of the health order, and some businesses forced to close.

“We have to do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19 and it’s extraordinarily important to follow the health officer orders and the directives,” Ferrer said.

See Related: Certain Businesses Now Open Friday As Los Angeles County Starts Coronavirus Recovery

An additional 591 COVID-19 cases were reported Friday. The County total of COVID-19 cases now stands at 32,258 according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LADPH) Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer.

Over 210,000 coronavirus tests have been conducted so far as of Monday, according to public health officials.

5,437 people who tested positive for COVID-19 have been hospitalized at some point during their illness, accounting for roughly 17 percent of all positive cases within Los Angeles County.

Of those, 26 percent are currently in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), while another 15 percent are on ventilators, according to public health officials.

39 new deaths were reported Monday, bringing the total of COVID-19-related deaths to 1,569  in Los Angeles County, according to Ferrer.

92 percent of all deaths in the county had underlying health conditions, according to Ferrer, further encouraging those with medical issues to stay home, if possible.

As of Sunday afternoon, a total of 721 cumulative cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the Santa Clarita Valley since testing began in March. These include:

• 484 in the City of Santa Clarita
• 28 in the unincorporated areas of Canyon Country
• 172 in Castaic*
  • As of Saturday, May 9, this included 129 cases among prisoners at the North County Correctional Facility, and 19 at the Peter J. Pitchess Detention Center.
• 4 in the unincorporated areas of Saugus
• 23 in Stevenson Ranch
• 6 in the unincorporated areas of Valencia
• 4 in the unincorporated areas of Val Verde

No cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the unincorporated areas of Newhall as of Sunday afternoon.

Additionally, eight cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in nearby Acton as well as two in Agua Dulce.

An update on Santa Clarita Valley is expected later Monday afternoon.

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