The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has confirmed 48 new deaths and 607 new cases of COVID-19. Thirty-seven people who died were over the age of 65 and nine people who died were between the ages of 41 to 65 years old. Thirty-eight people had underlying health conditions including 30 people over the age of 65 and eight people between the ages of 41 to 65 years old. Two deaths were reported by the City of Long Beach.

Santa Clarita Valley Update

Of the 378 cases that have been reported for the Santa Clarita Valley to date, the community breakdown is as follows:

City of Santa Clarita: 304

Canyon Country (unincorporated portion): 21

Castaic: 18

Stevenson Ranch: 16

Acton: 8

Valencia (unincorporated portion west of I-5): 4

Saugus (unincorporated portion): 2

Agua Dulce: 1

Henry Mayo Update

Henry Mayo spokesman Patrick Moody confirmed Saturday of another death from COVID-19, bringing the total number to 4.

Of the 663 persons tested at Henry Mayo to date, 127 were positive, 547 were negative, 6 are pending and 21 are currently hospitalized in a dedicated unit receiving ICU-level care.

Moody said the discrepancies in the numbers are due to some patients being tested more than once.

Thirty-seven COVID-19 patients have now been discharged.

To date, Public Health has identified 19,107 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County, and a total of 895 deaths. Ninety-two percent of people who died had underlying health conditions. Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 820 people (97 percent of the cases); 37% of deaths occurred among Latinx residents, 28% among White residents, 18% among Asian residents, 14% among African American residents, 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other races. Upon further investigation, 17 cases and one death reported earlier were not L.A. County residents. As of today, 4,319 people who tested positive for COVID-19 (23% of positive cases) have been hospitalized at some point during their illness. Testing capacity continues to increase in L.A. County, with testing results available for almost 114,000 individuals and 15% of people testing positive.

Public Health reminds everyone to take precautions to avoid heat-related illness, especially older adults, young children, outdoor workers, athletes, and people with a chronic medical condition who are especially sensitive to negative health impacts from extreme heat. Public Health offers the following recommendations during high temperature days:

– Drink plenty of water and keep hydrated throughout the day.

– If you must go out, plan your day to avoid going out during the hottest hours, and wear sunscreen.

– Wear lightweight, light-colored clothes, and bring a hat or umbrella with you.

– Cars get very hot. Never leave children or pets in cars and call 911 if you see a child or pet in a car alone.

– Beware of heat-related illness, like heat stroke and call 911 if you see these symptoms: high body temperature, vomiting, and pale and clammy skin.

– Check on those at risk, like those who are sick, older adults, pregnant women, and children.

– Avoid strenuous work outs wearing face coverings or masks not intended for athletic purposes; this means avoiding contact with others while you work out.

Emergency Cooling Centers are open from noon – 6:00 p.m. Saturday for those in need. The centers are safe, free of charge and visitors must wear a face covering at all times and practice physical distancing. To find a location near you, visit https://ready.lacounty.gov/heat/ or call 211.

“For those who are grieving loved ones lost to COVID-19, please know you are in our thoughts and prayers every day,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “With this weekend’s high temperatures, I encourage everyone to take steps to stay cool while still practicing physical distancing and adhering to Safer at Home directives. This past week in L.A. County, we doubled the number of deaths from COVID-19 and diagnosed more than 7000 new cases. Because we are still seeing a significant increase in new cases and deaths, we ask that you continue to stay home as much as possible. Enjoy the outdoors safely by taking walks by yourself or with your household members near your home and always remaining at least 6 feet apart from others. Public pools and all beaches remain closed for your wellbeing and the health of those most vulnerable for serious illness and death from COVID-19. Continue to do your part and save lives. This is how we get to the other side of the outbreak and begin our recovery. ”

A new Health Officer Order issued yesterday for all licensed congregate healthcare facilities includes measures intended to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in these facilities and to protect vulnerable residents, as well as staff. The measures include restricting all visitors, suspending all communal dining and activities to ensure physical distancing, and testing for all employees and residents. Staff will be required to wear surgical masks at all times and personal protective equipment when appropriate. Residents will also need to wear surgical masks or cloth face coverings when they are outside of their personal room.

Public Health reminds everyone that if you are ill, even with mild symptoms, please self- isolate at home for 7 days and until you are fever and symptom free for 72 hours. If you have been in close contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 or is presumed to be infected with COVID-19, you must quarantine for 14 days from your last contact with that individual. Individuals who are elderly or who have underlying health conditions may be at higher risk of serious illness and should contact their doctor as soon as they are sick. The best protection against COVID-19 is to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, self-isolate if you are sick, practice physical distancing (especially by staying at home) and wear a clean face covering when in contact with others from outside your household.

For additional things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community, visit the Public Health website at www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:

– Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

– California Department of Public Health

– Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

– Spanish

– World Health Organization

LA County residents can also call 2-1-1