LA Man Who Flew Home From Florida Trip Dies From Coronavirus

LOS ANGELES, CA — A second person in Los Angeles County died this week after contracting the new coronavirus, health officials said Thursday.

According to the Los Angeles County Public Health Department, the person died at a Pasadena hospital. Authorities identified the patient as a man between the ages of 30 and 50 who had underlying health problems. TMZ interviewed the man's sister, who said he was a 34-year-old man who recently visited Disney World while on a work trip before flying home to Los Angeles International Airport last week.

According to TMZ, the man was Jeffrey Ghazarian, a resident of Glendora.

She told TMZ his decline was frighteningly rapid, going from a slight cough to critical condition almost overnight.

Los Angeles County health officials confirmed 40 new cases Thursday, bringing the countywide total to 230 cases.

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"I want to express my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the person who's deceased," said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, head of the county Department of Public Health. "I'm so sorry for your loss, and I hope you know that we as a community are mourning with you."

Ferrer stressed that the county will see continued increases in cases over the next four to 12 weeks.

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"But that doesn't mean that the important actions that you're all taking to combat this virus are not working," she said. "Social distancing is critical, and we implore you to take seriously everyone's obligation to limit their exposures to others and to limit others from being exposed to you. This is the one way that we can all be serious about what it mean to try to slow down the increasing number of cases here in the county."

Ferrer also gave this advice: "As a general rule of thumb, you should assume that you may be infected and that others around you may be infected."

"Therefore, act accordingly, " she said. "Take every precaution possible to avoid infecting others and to avoid becoming infected. That's the goal of social distancing."

She noted that the number of cases will continue to rise, in part, because of the increased availability of testing, with seven labs operating with multiple sites.

On Wednesday, Dr. Christina Ghaly, who directs the county hospital system, echoed the point that some infected people — who may not have any symptoms at all — are walking around unaware they have the virus.

"People should assume that those they come into contact with might be positive for the virus," Ghaly said.

Ghaly on Thursday again noted a critical shortage of blood supplies, encouraging people to donate. She said there is no clinical evidence that the coronavirus can be spread through blood.

Ferrer also issued a stern warning to younger residents to heed the warnings against public gatherings, saying this is not the time to "have a party at your house" or gather with a group of people at the beach.

"This virus has infected thousands and thousands of people all across the world, and a large number of them are people that are young," she said.

Ferrer said the pandemic "has a human side, and that human side really asks us all to do our best to take care of each other and take care of ourselves."

She said anyone who feeling "stressed and overwhelmed" can call a 24- hour support hotline operated by the county Department of Mental Health at 800-854-7771.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent coronavirus disease 2019, also known as COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to recommend everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases. Those include:

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Stay home if 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 face mask.
  • CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19.
  • Face masks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of face masks 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 percent alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

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City News Service contributed to this report.