LA County Adds 1,000 New Coronavirus Cases As Parks Reopen

LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles County health officials announced another 1,011 cases of COVID-19 and 44 additional deaths today, while hiking trails and parks were reopened one day after the county allowed select retail businesses to reopen with curbside service.

Officials warned in easing some restrictions that the pandemic is far from over, and those words were backed up by Saturday's daily update, which brought the county's coronavirus toll to 31,197 cases and 1,512 fatalities.

``Many people in our community are experiencing profound loss because their loved ones have passed away from COVID-19. We keep you in our thoughts and prayers every day,'' said Barbara Ferrer, the county's public health director.

``If you are out and about this weekend, please take every precaution since anyone of us, even if we are not sick, could be infected with COVID-19 and capable of infecting others. When outside your home, always stay six feet away from everyone and wear a cloth face covering securely over your nose and mouth if there are others near you. These actions are critically important as we begin the journey of recovery so that we don't find ourselves with large increases in hospitalizations and deaths that would require us to reinstitute restrictions,'' Ferrer said.

Despite the relaxation of restrictions, people still protested outside Getty House, the Windsor Square residence of Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Protesters gathered about 2 p.m. at the mansion at Sixth Street and Irving Boulevard and dispersed without incident at about 3:30 p.m., Officer Mike Chan of the Los Angeles Police Department's Media Relations Section told CNS.

Parks reopen as officials urge caution

Parks and hiking trails in Los Angeles reopened Saturday, but the popular Runyon Canyon trail and all beaches remain closed.

County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said staff were deployed to ensure people are adhering to social-distancing requirements, and all hikers over age 2 will be required to wear face coverings.

``They're (the sheriff's Parks Bureau) not doing anything out of the ordinary,'' Deputy James Nagao of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Information Bureau told City News Service on Saturday. ``The Parks Bureau is consistently patrolling Los Angeles County parks in an effort to make sure people are enjoying the park experience.''

County parks officials urged residents not to visit trails if they are sick or exhibiting any sign of illness. People who do hike on the trails should do so only with members of their household, and hikers should bring water, hand-sanitizer and/or disinfecting wipes, park officials said.

``There is no new enforcement initiative, specifically,'' Chan said. ``Any sort of enforcement will be the last result. There is no new rule of engagement, as these parks are being phased into operation, concretely.''

City and county golf courses also reopened with restrictions, but pro shops remain closed and golf course restaurants are restricted to carry-out service only.

County parks were originally expected to be closed for Mother's Day on Sunday, but they will now remain open, although large gatherings will be prohibited and social-distancing mandates will be in effect.

The parks will be open for ``passive use, such as walking, jogging and leisure time outdoors for individuals or families.'' ``Since the holiday is one of the busiest days of the year, L.A. County Parks reminds all park guests that social distancing is required and group gatherings are prohibited by the health order,'' according to the department.

The county's four botanical gardens -- the county Arboretum and Botanic Garden, the South Coast Botanic Garden, Descanso Gardens and Virginia Robinson Gardens -- will all be closed Sunday. All beaches in the county remain off-limits, although planning is continuing for a possible reopening by late next week.

Long Beach will reopen its beach walking/bike paths Monday, although the beaches themselves will remain closed. All parks in Beverly Hills will be closed from 6 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Monday as part of what a city official called ``its proactive approach to protecting the community from the spread of COVID-19.''

``We hope everyone will stay at home and celebrate Mother's Day virtually as we continue to put the health of our community first,'' Mayor Les Friedman said.

Friday's newly relaxed restrictions allowed florists, toy stores, book stores, clothing retailers, sporting-goods stores and music shops to reopen, but only with curbside pickup service. Car dealers were also allowed to reopen, but with strict social-distancing and infection-control measures in showrooms.

Ferrer also said people who know they've been exposed to someone with the illness must quarantine themselves for 14 days, which is recognized as the incubation period for the virus.

She noted that since it can take two weeks for the infection to materialize, it could be that long before the impact of the business reopenings is known. Ferrer has suggested that an increase in cases is almost inevitable if more people leave their homes to visit newly re-opened businesses, but health officials will be closely monitoring case numbers and the mortality rate, particularly among vulnerable communities.

The danger of easy transmission was highlighted on Saturday when Pasadena officials reported that a cluster of COVID-19 cases was traced back to a recent birthday party in the city. At least five people at the party tested positive and many more reportedly have symptoms.

Also Saturday, Presiding Judge Kevin Brazile of the Los Angeles County Superior Court system announced that judges and other staff will be required to wear face coverings while in court and in public areas inside courthouses.

The locations with laboratory-confirmed coronavirus cases around Los Angeles County, as of Saturday, are:

• Los Angeles County: 29,768 (excluding Long Beach and Pasadena)
• Long Beach: 898
• Pasadena: 531

Confirmed cases by city:

• Agoura Hills: 31
• Alhambra: 113
• Arcadia: 52
• Artesia: 15
• Azusa: 101
• Baldwin Park: 144
• Bell: 151
• Bell Gardens: 133
• Bellflower: 179
• Beverly Hills: 118
• Bradbury: 2
• Burbank: 299
• Calabasas: 47
• Carson: 294
• Cerritos: 67
• Claremont: 29
• Commerce: 17
• Compton: 275
• Covina: 107
• Cudahy: 98
• Culver City: 94
• Diamond Bar: 42
• Downey: 279
• Duarte: 85
• El Monte: 227
• El Segundo: 30
• Gardena: 185
• Glendale: 717
• Glendora: 65
• Hawaiian Gardens: 11
• Hawthorne: 253
• Hermosa Beach: 25
• Hidden Hills: 1
• Huntington Park: 200
• Industry: 7
• Inglewood: 415
• Irwindale: 2
• La Canada Flintridge: 43
• La Habra Heights: 4
• La Mirada: 75
• La Puente: 53
• La Verne: 20
• Lakewood: 103
• Lancaster: 405
• Lawndale: 78
• Lomita: 41
• Lynwood: 260
• Malibu: 32
• Manhattan Beach: 69
• Maywood: 87
• Monrovia: 77
• Montebello: 209
• Monterey Park: 105
• Norwalk: 244
• Palmdale: 501
• Palos Verdes Estates: 40
• Paramount: 173
• Pico Rivera: 260
• Pomona: 253
• Rancho Palos Verdes: 75
• Redondo Beach: 118
• Rolling Hills: 2
• Rolling Hills Estates: 13
• Rosemead: 52
• San Dimas: 33
• San Fernando: 129
• San Gabriel: 48
• San Marino: 14
• Santa Clarita: 479
• Santa Fe Springs: 31
• Santa Monica: 206
• Sierra Madre: 6
• Signal Hill: 9
• South El Monte: 40
• South Gate: 306
• South Pasadena: 99
• Temple City: 67
• Torrance: 315
• Vernon: 1
• Walnut: 27
• West Covina: 168
• West Hollywood: 146
• Westlake Village: 6
• Whittier: 166
• Los Angeles: 15015
• Los Angeles - Adams-Normandie: 32
• Los Angeles - Alsace: 34
• Los Angeles - Angelino Heights: 10
• Los Angeles - Arleta: 151
• Los Angeles - Atwater Village: 34
• Los Angeles - Baldwin Hills: 91
• Los Angeles - Bel Air: 31
• Los Angeles - Beverly Crest: 34
• Los Angeles - Beverlywood: 33
• Los Angeles - Boyle Heights: 302
• Los Angeles - Brentwood: 68
• Los Angeles - Cadillac-Corning: 22
• Los Angeles - Canoga Park: 370
• Los Angeles - Carthay: 67
• Los Angeles - Central: 181
• Los Angeles - Century City: 31
• Los Angeles - Century Palms/Cove: 125
• Los Angeles - Chatsworth: 117
• Los Angeles - Cheviot Hills: 18
• Los Angeles - Chinatown: 10
• Los Angeles - Cloverdale/Cochran: 45
• Los Angeles - Country Club Park: 76
• Los Angeles - Crenshaw District: 56
• Los Angeles - Crestview: 71
• Los Angeles - Del Rey: 58
• Los Angeles - Downtown: 85
• Los Angeles - Eagle Rock: 117
• Los Angeles - East Hollywood: 163
• Los Angeles - Echo Park: 27
• Los Angeles - El Sereno: 120
• Los Angeles - Elysian Park: 11
• Los Angeles - Elysian Valley: 27
• Los Angeles - Encino: 101
• Los Angeles - Exposition: 5
• Los Angeles - Exposition Park: 161
• Los Angeles - Faircrest Heights: 4
• Los Angeles - Figueroa Park Square: 23
• Los Angeles - Florence-Firestone: 187
• Los Angeles - Glassell Park: 137
• Los Angeles - Gramercy Place: 40
• Los Angeles - Granada Hills: 160
• Los Angeles - Green Meadows: 88
• Los Angeles - Hancock Park: 70
• Los Angeles - Harbor City: 57
• Los Angeles - Harbor Gateway: 84
• Los Angeles - Harbor Pines: 4
• Los Angeles - Harvard Heights: 79
• Los Angeles - Harvard Park: 171
• Los Angeles - Highland Park: 108
• Los Angeles - Historic Filipinotown: 79
• Los Angeles - Hollywood: 213
• Los Angeles - Hollywood Hills: 69
• Los Angeles - Hyde Park: 91
• Los Angeles - Jefferson Park: 24
• Los Angeles - Koreatown: 173
• Los Angeles - Lafayette Square: 14
• Los Angeles - Lake Balboa: 134
• Los Angeles - Lakeview Terrace: 70
• Los Angeles - Leimert Park: 40
• Los Angeles - Lincoln Heights: 152
• Los Angeles - Little Armenia: 154
• Los Angeles - Little Bangladesh: 89
• Los Angeles - Little Tokyo: 9
• Los Angeles - Longwood: 18
• Los Angeles - Los Feliz: 38
• Los Angeles - Manchester Square: 16
• Los Angeles - Mandeville Canyon: 1
• Los Angeles - Mar Vista: 64
• Los Angeles - Marina Peninsula: 9
• Los Angeles - Melrose: 406
• Los Angeles - Mid-city: 43
• Los Angeles - Miracle Mile: 37
• Los Angeles - Mission Hills: 94
• Los Angeles - Mt. Washington: 62
• Los Angeles - North Hills: 244
• Los Angeles - North Hollywood: 476
• Los Angeles - Northridge: 211
• Los Angeles - Pacific Palisades: 39
• Los Angeles - Pacoima: 413
• Los Angeles - Palisades Highlands: 3
• Los Angeles - Palms: 155
• Los Angeles - Panorama City: 434
• Los Angeles - Park La Brea: 13
• Los Angeles - Pico-Union: 352
• Los Angeles - Playa Del Rey: 1
• Los Angeles - Playa Vista: 20
• Los Angeles - Porter Ranch: 65
• Los Angeles - Rancho Park: 12
• Los Angeles - Regent Square: 3
• Los Angeles - Reseda: 314
• Los Angeles - Reseda Ranch: 23
• Los Angeles - Reynier Village: 9
• Los Angeles - San Pedro: 669
• Los Angeles - Shadow Hills: 9
• Los Angeles - Sherman Oaks: 175
• Los Angeles - Silverlake: 137
• Los Angeles - South Carthay: 25
• Los Angeles - South Park: 163
• Los Angeles - St Elmo Village: 27
• Los Angeles - Studio City: 57
• Los Angeles - Sun Valley: 189
• Los Angeles - Sunland: 109
• Los Angeles - Sycamore Square: 1
• Los Angeles - Sylmar: 475
• Los Angeles - Tarzana: 89
• Los Angeles - Temple-Beaudry: 199
• Los Angeles - Thai Town: 19
• Los Angeles - Toluca Lake: 13
• Los Angeles - Toluca Terrace: 3
• Los Angeles - Toluca Woods: 3
• Los Angeles - Tujunga: 89
• Los Angeles - University Hills: 8
• Los Angeles - University Park: 102
• Los Angeles - Valley Glen: 98
• Los Angeles - Valley Village: 156
• Los Angeles - Van Nuys: 435
• Los Angeles - Venice: 55
• Los Angeles - Vermont Knolls: 75
• Los Angeles - Vermont Square: 61
• Los Angeles - Vermont Vista: 172
• Los Angeles - Vernon Central: 306
• Los Angeles - Victoria Park: 42
• Los Angeles - View Heights: 8
• Los Angeles - Watts: 140
• Los Angeles - Wellington Square: 16
• Los Angeles - West Adams: 147
• Los Angeles - West Hills: 75
• Los Angeles - West Los Angeles: 64
• Los Angeles - West Vernon: 263
• Los Angeles - Westchester: 78
• Los Angeles - Westlake: 353
• Los Angeles - Westwood: 56
• Los Angeles - Wholesale District: 222
• Los Angeles - Wilmington: 125
• Los Angeles - Wilshire Center: 151
• Los Angeles - Winnetka: 205
• Los Angeles - Woodland Hills: 129
• Unincorporated - Acton: 8
• Unincorporated - Agua Dulce: 2
• Unincorporated - Altadena: 93
• Unincorporated - Anaverde: 1
• Unincorporated - Arcadia: 4
• Unincorporated - Athens-Westmont: 131
• Unincorporated - Athens Village: 16
• Unincorporated - Avocado Heights: 14
• Unincorporated - Azusa: 32
• Unincorporated - Bassett: 36
• Unincorporated - Canyon Country: 28
• Unincorporated - Castaic: 170
• Unincorporated - Covina: 35
• Unincorporated - Covina (Charter Oak): 22
• Unincorporated - Del Aire: 10
• Unincorporated - Del Sur: 2
• Unincorporated - Desert View Highlands: 4
• Unincorporated - Duarte: 10
• Unincorporated - East La Mirada: 9
• Unincorporated - East Los Angeles: 474
• Unincorporated - East Rancho Dominguez: 25
• Unincorporated - East Whittier: 4
• Unincorporated - El Camino Village: 13
• Unincorporated - Elizabeth Lake: 1
• Unincorporated - Florence-Firestone: 296
• Unincorporated - Glendora: 2
• Unincorporated - Hacienda Heights: 70
• Unincorporated - Hawthorne: 4
• Unincorporated - Kagel/Lopez Canyons: 1
• Unincorporated - La Crescenta-Montrose: 18
• Unincorporated - La Rambla: 6
• Unincorporated - La Verne: 2
• Unincorporated - Ladera Heights: 17
• Unincorporated - Lake Los Angeles: 25
• Unincorporated - Lake Manor: 3
• Unincorporated - Lennox: 65
• Unincorporated - Leona Valley: 1
• Unincorporated - Littlerock: 11
• Unincorporated - Littlerock/Juniper Hills: 1
• Unincorporated - Littlerock/Pearblossom: 7
• Unincorporated - Llano: 1
• Unincorporated - Marina del Rey: 13
• Unincorporated - Monrovia: 12
• Unincorporated - North Lancaster: 4
• Unincorporated - North Whittier: 6
• Unincorporated - Northeast San Gabriel: 22
• Unincorporated - Palmdale: 4
• Unincorporated - Pearblossom/Llano: 2
• Unincorporated - Pomona: 1
• Unincorporated - Quartz Hill: 29
• Unincorporated - Rancho Dominguez: 12
• Unincorporated - Rosewood: 5
• Unincorporated - Rosewood/West Rancho Dominguez: 11
• Unincorporated - Rowland Heights: 69
• Unincorporated - San Jose Hills: 29
• Unincorporated - Santa Catalina Island: 2
• Unincorporated - Santa Monica Mountains: 19
• Unincorporated - Saugus: 4
• Unincorporated - South El Monte: 2
• Unincorporated - South San Gabriel: 20
• Unincorporated - South Whittier: 83
• Unincorporated - Stevenson Ranch: 21
• Unincorporated - Sun Village: 7
• Unincorporated - Sunrise Village: 1
• Unincorporated - Twin Lakes/Oat Mountain: 4
• Unincorporated - Val Verde: 5
• Unincorporated - Valencia: 6
• Unincorporated - Valinda: 35
• Unincorporated - View Park/Windsor Hills: 28
• Unincorporated - Walnut Park: 57
• Unincorporated - West Antelope Valley: 2
• Unincorporated - West Carson: 75
• Unincorporated - West LA: 21
• Unincorporated - West Puente Valley: 26
• Unincorporated - West Rancho Dominguez: 3
• Unincorporated - West Whittier/Los Nietos: 54
• Unincorporated - White Fence Farms: 2
• Unincorporated - Whittier: 6
• Unincorporated - Willowbrook: 82
• Unincorporated - Wiseburn: 9
• Under Investigation: 1728

City News Service contributed to this report.

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