A new digital tool that maps and charts the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases throughout Los Angeles county shows the latest data for Eastside neighborhoods – revealing one new case in Boyle Heights and two in East Los Angeles.
The new numbers for those neighborhoods, as of Friday, are eight confirmed cases for Boyle Heights and six for East LA.
The County of Los Angeles COVID-19 Dashboard, which also lists all of countywide cases and deaths, is one of four new digital tools launched Friday to help residents access up-to-date information about the COVID-19 pandemic. The new interactive maps and dashboards are now live on the County website, providing—in one place—a digital hub for updates about virus case counts, emergency proclamations, and information regarding openings and closures for parks, recreation sites, and schools throughout Los Angeles County.
The new dashboards track, analyze, and display multiple data sources. They are the result of collaboration between the County’s Department of Public Health, Health Services, Parks and Recreation, the Los Angeles County Office of Education, and the Office of Emergency Management. Though the focus is local, the new interactive sites also incorporate global data from Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 tracking map.
On Friday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed five new deaths and 257 new cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Public Health said that Over the last 48 hours there have been 678 new cases.
To date, Public Health has identified 1465 cases across all areas of LA County, including 26 deaths. As of Friday, 317 positive cases (21% of positive cases) have been hospitalized.
Beaches and hiking trails closed
On Friday, a new Health Officer Order was issued to temporarily close beaches and hiking trails due to recent dramatic increases in COVID-19 cases, and increased usage of beaches and hiking trails by many groups of people. County and City Parks may remain open for passive recreational activities but the county warned that persons using the parks are required to practice social distancing at all times.
The Order is effective immediately and will continue through April 19.
“The crowds we saw at our beaches last weekend were unacceptable,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn. “In order to save lives, beaches in LA County will be temporarily closed. I understand that this is a huge sacrifice for everyone who enjoys going to our beaches. But we cannot risk another sunny weekend with crowds at the beach spreading this virus. This closure is temporary and we can always reopen these beaches when it is safe to do so.”
“The new Health Officer Order is in line with our efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County. It is crucial that we limit access to non-essential places where crowds have been gathering,” said Barbara Ferrer, Public Health Director. “Please practice social distancing when you do go outside to enjoy the beautiful weather. That means staying at least 6 feet away from other people.”
Public Health has issued the following guidance during this time of increased spread:
- If you are mildly sick, stay home for at least seven days or until 72 hours after being fever free, whichever is longer. Call your doctor if you are concerned and/or your symptoms worsen. Individuals who are elderly, have underlying health conditions or pregnant should consider contacting their providers earlier when they are sick.
Additional things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov.
