“There are now deaths every 10 minutes in LA County from COVID-19,” Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County Director of Health said in a statement, “and since many of these deaths are preventable, our collective focus should be on the good. doing salvation. lives. ”
According to Thursday’s press release from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, about 6,500 people have been hospitalized with Covid-19 in the county, 20% of whom are in intensive care units – a pandemic spike. In the past week alone, the department said, the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals has increased by more than 1,600.
“I hope we can all find the strength and courage to take responsibility for each other’s well-being,” Ferrer said, urging Southern Californians to follow public health guidelines, such as staying home and wearing a mask in public. “These are the only tools that work now.”
Statewide, 351 deaths were reported Thursday – the third-highest number of deaths from the coronavirus in a single day – bringing the California death toll to 23,635, according to public health officials.
The state registered more than 39,000 new cases on Thursday. This week it became the first state to surpass 2 million Covid-19 cases – “a sobering milestone,” said California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly.
“Hospitals are full, IC beds are few, people are dying,” Ghaly said in a press release. “The simplest thing we can do, but also the most important thing, is stay at home. We are the first line of defense against this virus and we need to act now.”