Barbara Ferrer, director of public health Los Angeles County, announced on Wednesday, April 15, that there were an additional 42 deaths due to COVID-19 in Los Angeles County. This is now the highest number of deaths reported by LA County thus far.

The total of deaths in LA County, including Long Beach and Pasadena which both have their own public health departments, is 402, a 3.8% mortality rate.

The new total of positive cases of COVID-19 in LA County has now reached 10,496. At some point 2,704 people who tested positive for COVID-19 have been hospitalized, which is 26% of positive cases. Currently 1,501 people who have tested positive are in the hospital. Glendale reports 278 cases and four deaths, La Cañada Flintridge reports 23 cases, Eagle Rock with 46, Sunland with 36 and Tujunga with 21 cases reported. In the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County, Angeles National Forest has reported zero cases and La Crescenta/Montrose has 11. 

Ferrer reviewed what Californians will be facing when some Safer at Home restrictions are lifted, which included the continuation of physical distancing. This means, Ferrer said, that although retail stores may be open there will be limits on how many people can be in a store at one time. Arts and cultural events may begin but without spectators as it is expected that fewer people will be at many open events. The trails and bike paths may be one way to control the amount of people, there will still be face coverings required as well as social distancing and some locations may take the temperature of people entering a location to make certain they are fever free.

There will also have to be a way to test people to find out if they are infected, then isolate them and reach out to those who were close to them to have them self-isolate as well.

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