L.A. County reports third straight day with more than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases

Los Angeles County health officials Saturday announced more than 2,400 new COVID-19 cases, marking the third consecutive day with more than 2,000 confirmed infections and signaling that the disease is “widespread and increasing in L.A. County.”

Infections are surging in L.A. County and around much of the nation in daily numbers not seen since August, according to a news release from the county Department of Public Health. County officials also confirmed 15 more deaths from the disease.

“Our metrics this week are concerning and confirm that transmission of COVID-19 is widespread and increasing in L.A County,” the department said in its statement. “To date, Public Health identified 319,977 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 7,170 deaths.”

There are 840 people with COVID-19 in county hospitals; 30% of them are in intensive care, officials said.

County health officials cautioned residents to avoid crowds and the kind of street celebrations happening across the country in the wake of the presidential election, warning that such events “are places where it is very easy and very likely for COVID-19 to spread.”

“Let us remember that no matter how we feel, we all have an obligation to protect each other from COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health. “Gathering with people outside of your household, especially in settings where people are shouting, chanting or singing and not distancing, can easily lead to increased cases of COVID-19.”

Ferrer added that attending street celebrations and protests “will slow down our recovery and can result in more illness and deaths.”