Story by Adam Kwoh
News Editor
Photo by Oscar Walsh
Photo Editor
L.A. County confirmed 513 new cases and 11 deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday, Apr. 1, as well as a total of seven cases in South Pasadena. L.A.’s Public Health Department has identified 3518 coronavirus cases and 65 deaths across all areas of the county since the outbreak began early this year.
Public Health’s Apr. 1 news release noted that since Mar. 30 the county has confirmed 1061 new cases. This is both due to the growing spread of the coronavirus and the county’s increased access to coronavirus testing kits.
Nine of the 11 deaths confirmed on Apr. 1 was in people over 65 years of age. However, the virus has had evidence in affecting younger people with underlying conditions, with the county’s second death being a 34-year old at Pasadena’s Huntington Hospital.
Public Health also noted emerging evidence in its report that suggests many people in the county may be infected with the coronavirus, but are asymptomatic and have the ability to spread the virus. The county has taken precautions to limit exposure, with L.A. implementing its stay-at-home order and closing non-essential businesses.
“The hard truth is we have some difficult days ahead as we work tirelessly to flatten the curve of this horrible virus,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. “Though the end may not be as close as we’d like, if we all continue to do our part to slow the spread by staying home, social distancing, self-isolating when we are positive or presumed positive, and self-quarantining if we are close contacts of a positive case, we will get to the end of the COVID-19 crisis more quickly, together.”
This is an ongoing story. All local coronavirus updates can be found here.
