On Wednesday the Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Health reported seeing progress in key indicators regarding COVID-19, including positivity rates, hospitalizations and deaths. On Wednesday, Public Health confirmed 30 new deaths due to COVID-19 in Los Angeles County and 1,063 new positive cases of COVID-19.

The total number of deaths in LA County due to COVID-19 as reported on Wednesday was 6,576 and the total number of positive cases was 270,299.

The number of COVID-19 deaths continues to decline. The average daily reported COVID-19 deaths dropped to 14.

“After the increase in deaths in July that continued into August, we are seeing the average daily number of deaths continue to decrease to levels not seen since early April at the beginning of the pandemic. This reflects declining numbers of cases and hospitalizations, and also reflects both improvements in treatment for COVID-19 patients and a shift in who is infected; with an increase in the proportion of cases among young people, there is an associated decrease in deaths,” according to Public Health.

LA County did not experience a post-Labor Day surge similar to the increases seen after Memorial Day and Fourth of July, and the LA County Board of Supervisors approved several Public Health recommendations for the staggered reopening of several sectors permitted by the state for counties in Tier 1 of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

Over the next 10 days Public Health is expected to allow nail salons to reopen for limited indoor service at 25% occupancy, card rooms may reopen for outdoor gaming only but food and beverages may not be served in card rooms at this time, indoor shopping malls will be allowed to reopen at 25% maximum occupancy, all food courts and all common areas must remain closed and outdoor playgrounds may reopen at the approval and discretion of cities and the LA County Parks and Recreation Dept. Parents and children age 2 and older must always wear a cloth face covering and must sanitize their hands before and after using playground equipment. There is no eating or drinking allowed at the playground. In addition people are to avoid people not in their household.

Public Health will finalize the dates for each sector’s re-opening by the end of the week.

On Wednesday, Public Health reported that Glendale had a total of 3,793 positive cases of COVID-19 with 177 deaths, La Cañada Flintridge reported 185 cases and seven deaths, Eagle Rock has a total of 668 cases with 25 deaths, Shadow Hills has 66 cases and continued to report zero deaths, Sunland has 465 with 30 deaths and Tujunga has reported 521 cases and 14 deaths. In the unincorporated areas of LA County, Altadena reported 720 positive cases of COVID-19 with 15 deaths and La Crescenta-Montrose reported 205 cases with two deaths.