State’s death toll now more than 16,000
Grim figures come as L. A. County braces for a possible surge in COVID cases.
Nearly eight months after California officially recorded its first death related to COVID- 19, more than 16,000 others have died at the hands of the virus.
The state’s toll surpassed that f igure Friday as the country turned its attention to the health of the president and first lady, after it was announced at 1 a. m. EDT Friday that they had tested positive for the coronavirus. President Trump was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday night after White House officials reported that he had “mild” COVID- 19 symptoms. He is expected to remain hospitalized for a few days.
Patients 65 and older have accounted for about 74% of California’s COVID-related deaths, and among racial and ethnic groups, Latino people have comprised the largest share, around 48% of deaths.
With medical therapies and vaccines still developing, testing, social distancing and the use of face coverings have been the only true tools to combat the spread of the virus — topics that were discussed brief ly during Tuesday night’s presidential debate between Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.
Biden and his wife, Jill, tested negative for the virus Friday.
Health experts say it can take up to seven days for an infection to be detected in a person’s system, and several specialists said Biden “isn’t out of the woods yet.”
Since the pandemic began, California has reported more than 822,700 infec
tions.
Though daily case counts and hospitalizations have declined in recent weeks, off icials have forecast an 89% increase in the latter by Oct. 25. Following a surge in emergency room visits and a slight, but notable, increase in cases, the statewide projected transmission rate of the virus has risen.
In Los Angeles County, officials are preparing for a possible surge, warning that intensive care capacity could become strained in coming weeks if a sharp rise in cases occurs. The assessment is based on the county’s projected transmission rate, which currently sits at 1 — a metric that relies on the understanding that people’s actions remain constant.
“If our behavior does not remain constant, we’ll see that change,” Human Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said Wednesday.
The county recently gave the green light for more sectors to reopen, despite warnings that COVID- 19 numbers could rise again in the near future, requiring a pullback. Nail salons were given the go ahead to resume indoor operations Thursday, the county’s school waiver program and outdoor operations at card rooms will be allowed to resume Monday, and indoor shopping malls will be able to follow suit Wednesday.
L. A. County, which reported 21 additional coronavirus related deaths and 1,324 new cases Friday, has accounted for the bulk of the state’s total infections and fatalities. Most of the people who have died had underlying conditions. Hypertension and diabetes have factored in more than half the county’s deaths. Neurological conditions and cardiovascular disease are also common in victims, officials have said.
Weight, age and gender can play a major role in a person’s risk for developing serious symptoms of COVID- 19. Obese men 65 and older are especially vulnerable. Those factors are under scrutiny in regard to Trump, who is 74 and considered obese.
Though the virus has struck all races and backgrounds, Black and Latino people, Pacific Islanders and the poor have been disproportionately affected, largely due to longstanding lack of medical access compared to members of majority white or wealthy communities.
Under a new state requirement, California counties will not be allowed to reopen further until coronavirus infections among those hardest- hit groups are reduced.