LA County Coronavirus Cases Spike, Death Toll Reaches 7

LOS ANGELES, CA —Los Angeles County confirmed 128 new cases of coronavirus Monday and two more deaths. That brings the coronavirus death toll up to seven people in the county. The total number of cases in the county is now 536. For days, health officials have been warning residents to prepare for the outbreak to spike: It will get worse before it gets better.

And while the outbreak is expected to quickly worsen, a series of local developments offer some hope. Despite the grim news, the Southland has made significant strides in readying for the outbreak over the last 48 hours.

Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu said Monday that the city and county have reached a deal with a South Korean firm to obtain 20,000 coronavirus test kits, providing the ability to conduct 5,000 tests per day by this Friday.

County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, meanwhile, says his agency will have 250,000 N95 protective masks in conjunction with supply distributor in Long Beach for distribution to hospitals throughout the county. Another 125,000 will be provided to the Los Angeles Police Department, and more will be provided to other law enforcement agencies.

Businesses in LA's garment district have come forward with offers to shift production to help address the medical mask shortage, and the tech industry has also stepped up to help with testing and the production of ventilators. Space X founder Elon Musk has shifted gears to produce masks, thousands of which he already shipped to hospitals in need. Musk also said his companies will build 1,000 ventilators for distribution soon.

Don't miss local and statewide news about coronavirus developments and precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

Additionally, The USNS Mercy — one of the Navy's two 1,000-bed hospital ships — is expected arrive to the Port of Los Angeles next week to help with the rise in illnesses, officials said.

Trump also approved California's request for a major disaster declaration to deal with the worsening COVID-19 outbreak. Similar declarations were approved for New York and Washington state.

And in Orange County,UCI Health clinicians started a clinical trial to test the antiviral drug remdesivir as a potential therapy for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), UC Irvine announced Monday.

After days of being cooped up under stay at home orders, Angelenos blew off steam by flocking to the beach and the canyon hiking trails over the weekend, prompting additional closures of public areas combined with pleas for residents to practice social distancing orders.

The city has been partially shut down for barely a week, but residents and businesses flaunting public health guidelines are triggering backlash in form of additional closures as well as coronavirus shaming on social media.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti Sunday announced further public area closures — including the Venice Beach Boardwalk -- as part of the social distancing measures being taken to curtail the spread of coronavirus. He also said novel coronavirus testing available beginning Monday to high-risk residents who are showing symptoms, and they can report their conditions through a new online portal.

In a live-streamed remote news conference, Garcetti said that in consultation with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the city is also closing beach parking lots and all organized group sports, saying that the six-feet rule is in place to save lives.

He reminded people to keep practicing social distancing, to stand at least six feet away from others. It's a technique, he said, that will not only keep you safe but it will protect your love ones and others as well.

Garcetti also told people not to take risks with their health.

"Don't mess around," he said. "This is too important."

Garcetti also said the city will launch a portal to be rolled out in the next couple of days designed to test the most vulnerable Angelenos -- 65 and over with underlying health conditions, who are showing coronavirus symptoms.

These residents will be prioritized to be tested, and will need to be able to prove identification to get those tests.

SEE ALSO:

• Products That Kill The Coronavirus Identified By EPA
• LA Man Who Flew Home From Florida Trip Dies From Coronavirus
• Medicare & Coronavirus: What You Need To Know

"Please help spread the word so we can deliver much-needed tests to as many vulnerable Angelenos as possible," Garcetti said via a Twitter posting.

The online portal, available at lacovidprod.service-now.com/rrs, asks people if they are feeling any symptoms, and if they select "yes," a tab drops down for the user to input their contact information.

The city, he said, has ordered masks for medical personnel and the city's first responders.

He also thanked President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence for ordering the hospital ship, USNS Mercy, to the Port of Los Angeles. The ship will provide an extra 1,000 beds to house COVID-19 victims for treatment at a time when there are fewer than 200 available intensive care unit beds countywide, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said.

Garcetti also said the city is moving the homeless into recreation centers and hopes to have 42 centers open for housing the homeless. He said the city is facing a shortage of medical personnel to staff the centers, which, is critical to housing them safely.

He announced that the city is setting up a fund to provide childcare for health workers, assistance for the needy and meals for seniors. The goal, he said, is to raise $25 million as soon as possible for the fund.

Garcetti directed people to go to coronavirus.lacity.org for more information about the city's response to the coronavirus pandemic, and lacity.org to volunteer.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Follow CDC's recommendations for using a facemask.
  • CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a facemask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
  • Facemasks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of facemasks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.