All L.A. residents with symptoms can now get coronavirus tests as restrictions are lifted, Garcetti says

Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Monday evening that any Los Angeles County resident who has symptoms and wants to be tested for the coronavirus can now apply online.

Testing was previously limited to vulnerable populations, including those 65 and older, and those with compromised immune systems.

Thanks to expanded testing capacity through city and county partnerships, there are no longer limits to who can be tested at the 13 testing sites across the county, seven of which are in L.A., Garcetti said.

“Now that doesn’t mean we’ll have a test for everybody tomorrow,” Garcetti said, “but it means that our capacity is now greater than the number that we are getting through the requirements that we had.”

Roughly 52,000 people have been tested for COVID-19 in L.A. County, Garcetti said — a number that accounts for 40% of all tests administered in California.

Testing is considered a crucial way of tracking and potentially slowing the coronavirus.

Los Angeles County officials on Monday confirmed 15 new coronavirus-linked deaths, bringing the county’s total to 147, and said the county’s mortality rate had crept up.

Officials announced 420 new coronavirus cases in the county, bringing the total to at least 6,360. Twelve of the new deaths were among people 65 and older, and seven of those had underlying health conditions. Three individuals were between ages 41 and 65.

With the additional deaths, the mortality rate in L.A. County has increased to 2.3%, up from 1.8% a week ago. There are 900 people hospitalized.