- avdailynews.com
Public Health Sees Steady Decline in COVID-19 Deaths Associated with Skilled Nursing Facilities
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 39 new deaths and 1,165 new cases of COVID-19. To date, Public Health identified 264,414 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 6,455 deaths.
Public Health is seeing a steady decline in COVID-19 deaths in skilled nursing facilities in Los Angeles County. Skilled nursing facility COVID-19-associated deaths peaked in the beginning of May with 190 deaths a week. By mid-September, deaths in skilled nursing facilities dropped to 22 a week. Skilled nursing facilities did not experience an increase in COVID-19 deaths in July and August as Los Angeles County did overall.
Public Health remains in regular contact with skilled nursing facilities and provides facilities with education, technical assistance, guidance, emergency supplies of personal protective equipment, and COVID-19 testing support. Public Health also continues to survey skilled nursing facilities in the County for compliance with mandated COVID-19 testing and reports of COVID-19 cases and outbreaks. All 341 skilled nursing facilities are conducting testing of residents and staff; between September 6 and September 12, 30,000 COVID-19 tests were completed among staff and residents. The percentage of residents that tested positive during this time period was 1.3% and for staff was .4%. Ninety-nine percent of skilled nursing facilities reported having adequate staffing and 94% reported having adequate PPE. Out of the 341 facilities, 164 were reported as having one or more cases and 177 facilities reported no positive cases. Public Health continues to conduct on-site inspections at skilled nursing facilities that are reported to be in noncompliance with infection control practices, or those that have reports of noncompliance that caused serious harm or death to a resident. These inspections occur within 24 hours of reported complaints.
“Our hearts go out to the many families that have lost a love one to this COVID-19 pandemic,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “We are acutely aware of the grief experienced by those who lost a family member living at a nursing home and we remain laser-focused on ensuring that we do everything we can to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in skilled nursing facilities. We know that whenever there is increased community transmission, residents and staff are vulnerable. We know what works to prevent the spread of COVD-19 at nursing homes and as we head into the fall and flu season, compliance with infection and adequate supplies of PPE will be critically important."
Of the 39 new deaths reported today, 13 people that passed away were over the age of 80 years old, 11 people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79 years old, 12 people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64 years old, and one person who died was between the ages of 30 and 49 years old. Thirty-five people who died had underlying health conditions including 13 people over the age of 80, nine people between the ages of 65 and 79 years old, 12 people between the ages of 50 and 64 years old and one person between the ages of 30 and 49 years old. Two deaths were reported by the City of Long Beach.
Ninety-two percent of the people who died from COVID-19 had underlying health conditions. Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 6,074 people (99 percent of the cases reported by Public Health); 51% of deaths occurred among Latino/Latinx residents, 23% among White residents, 15% among Asian residents, 10% among African American/Black residents, less than 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other races. Upon further investigation, 84 cases and seven deaths reported earlier were not L.A. County residents.
Testing results are available for more than 2,592,000 individuals with 9% of all people testing positive. There are 753 confirmed cases currently hospitalized and 28% of these people are confirmed cases in the ICU.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Public Health continues to encourage participation with case investigation and contact tracing efforts to help slow the spread of COVID-19. To date, over 130,000 people who are or were positive for COVID-19 completed the case investigation interview process. Over 78,000 of their close contacts or people that were exposed to the virus were contacted and completed interviews. Obtaining as much information as possible from people during the case investigation interview helps contain this virus and minimize outbreaks, and it is a crucial part of protecting the health of communities.
We encourage anyone who receives a call from Public Health to speak to our contact tracers. If a contact tracer calls, it will display on your phone as “LA Public Health” or as 833-641-0305.
Public Health has a dedicated call line for confirmed cases of COVID-19. If you are positive with COVID-19 and have not yet connected with a public health specialist or need more information on services, call toll-free at 1-833-540-0473. Residents who do not have COVID-19 should continue to call 211 for resources or more information.
The Reopening Protocols, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, Roadmap to Recovery, Recovery Dashboard, and additional things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.
Please see additional information below:
Total Cases
Laboratory Confirmed Cases
264414
-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)*
250188
-- Long Beach
11684
-- Pasadena
2542
Deaths
6455
-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)
6093
-- Long Beach
240
-- Pasadena
122
Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- 0 to 4
4170
- 5 to 11
9005
- 12 to 17
11177
- 18 to 29
62179
- 30 to 49
85722
- 50 to 64
48323
- 65 to 79
19181
- over 80
8929
- Under Investigation
1502
Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- Female
126054
- Male
121154
- Other
130
- Under Investigation
2850
Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- American Indian/Alaska Native
235
- Asian
7920
- Black
7620
- Hispanic/Latino
95027
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
736
- White
20239
- Other
26667
- Under Investigation
91744
Hospitalization (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- Hospitalized (Ever)
20523
Deaths Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- American Indian/Alaska Native
12
- Asian
887
- Black
597
- Hispanic/Latino
3119
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
20
- White
1408
- Other
31
- Under Investigation
19
CITY / COMMUNITY**
Cases
Case Rate
City of Agoura Hills
160
766
City of Alhambra
1243
1433
City of Arcadia
490
848
City of Artesia
364
2167
City of Avalon
6
155
City of Azusa
1515
3028
City of Baldwin Park
2948
3840
City of Bell
1588
4371
City of Bell Gardens
1920
4458
City of Bellflower
2364
3041
City of Beverly Hills
677
1961
City of Bradbury
14
1310
City of Burbank
1520
1418
City of Calabasas
268
1102
City of Carson
1830
1950
City of Cerritos
558
1115
City of Claremont
383
1050
City of Commerce*
582
4453
City of Compton
4018
4022
City of Covina
1387
2829
City of Cudahy
1086
4461
City of Culver City
385
966
City of Diamond Bar
545
948
City of Downey
4079
3570
City of Duarte
548
2489
City of El Monte
4303
3669
City of El Segundo
131
780
City of Gardena
1234
2013
City of Glendale
3651
1768
City of Glendora
1250
2369
City of Hawaiian Gardens
535
3645
City of Hawthorne
1928
2171
City of Hermosa Beach
208
1057
City of Hidden Hills
7
370
City of Huntington Park
2919
4907
City of Industry
36
8238
City of Inglewood
2838
2499
City of Irwindale
68
4661
City of La Canada Flintridge
184
889
City of La Habra Heights
44
807
City of La Mirada
842
1698
City of La Puente
1480
3637
City of La Verne
464
1394
City of Lakewood
1269
1579
City of Lancaster*
3346
2071
City of Lawndale
632
1880
City of Lomita
240
1158
City of Lynwood*
3262
4528
City of Malibu
101
779
City of Manhattan Beach
357
992
City of Maywood
1424
5077
City of Monrovia
743
1915
City of Montebello
2288
3554
City of Monterey Park
948
1523
City of Norwalk
3237
3008
City of Palmdale
4059
2553
City of Palos Verdes Estates
97
717
City of Paramount
2365
4221
City of Pico Rivera
2413
3754
City of Pomona
5419
3475
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
300
702
City of Redondo Beach
551
802
City of Rolling Hills
12
619
City of Rolling Hills Estates
42
518
City of Rosemead
821
1483
City of San Dimas*
528
1530
City of San Fernando
909
3693
City of San Gabriel
629
1536
City of San Marino
88
663
City of Santa Clarita
3397
1541
City of Santa Fe Springs
560
3049
City of Santa Monica
864
935
City of Sierra Madre
75
683
City of Signal Hill
272
2306
City of South El Monte
789
3778
City of South Gate