LA County experiences most deaths in a day; Beach Cities’ curve appears to have flattened
Beach Cities numbers of new cases demonstrates a possible “flattening of the curve.” Graph by Bernard Wong
Forty-two new deaths due to COVID-19 were reported Wednesday within Los Angeles County, the largest number of deaths recorded in a single day since the outbreak began, bringing the total deaths countywide to 402.
According to other data released as part of the County’s daily briefing, LA County registered 472 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 10,496. Within those totals, the South Bay’s confirmed cases rose by 27 to 831 total. The number of deaths in the South Bay has not been specified by LA County.
For the first time since the novel coronavirus arrived locally, the Beach Cities on Wednesday had no new confirmed COVID-19 cases — this despite the fact that testing is more widely available, including at a drive-through site at the South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. Hermosa Beach’s COVID-19 cases remained at 17 for the fourth straight day, Manhattan Beach leveled off at 55 for the second day (and only an increase of 3 cases over the last week) and Redondo Beach remained at 84 for the second straight day — an actual decrease from Monday, when there were 85 cases.
“Clearly our efforts to flatten the infection curve have worked,” said Redondo Beach Mayor Bill Brand. “Now we are all turning our attention to when and how we begin to lift the various restrictions without causing another spike. These will likely happen over the coming weeks, not days or months. While this is no time to let up on protecting each other, there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
Manhattan Beach Mayor Richard Montgomery likewise said the slowing rate of new cases demonstrated the importance of ongoing social distancing.
“This should encourage all South Bay residents to continue practicing the Safer at Home guidelines,” Montgomery said. “Hopefully today will mark the beginning of the reduction that the Governor needed to see before allowing a ‘rolling re-entry program.’ I join the entire South Bay in anticipation of the day our beaches and businesses get to reopen.”
The South Bay had 831 confirmed COVID-19 cases through Wednesday. Map /Tableau Public
Dr. Barbara Ferrer, the director of Public Health for LA County, said at Wednesday’s briefing that social distancing measures do appear to be flattening the curve countywide. She expressed hope that some businesses and public areas could begin reopening in four to six weeks.
“All of us are feeling very hopeful that the efforts made to date actually have made a difference and slowed the spread,” Ferrer said. “So we are hopeful that certainly the middle of May or the latter part of May becomes a time we can put in place actions that allow us to start thinking about relaxing some of the health officer’s order.”
Ferrer cautioned that even as restrictions are slowly loosened, there will be a new normal, likely for “many months” to come.
“As we think about the future when we know more businesses will be able to open, I want to note things will be different. Physical distancing will still be a very important part of our recovery.”
This will include limits on how many people can be in retail stores at one time, ongoing use of facial coverings, and ongoing social distancing in public spaces. Trails and bike paths, Ferrer said, may only be open to one-way traffic, and body temperatures may be checked at many facilities.
“Our goal, which we share with you, is to get as many people back to work as soon as possible,” Ferrer said. “Bue we also need to make sure we do this in such a way that protects all employees, employers, and customers.”
Ferrer confirmed that the quarantine site established last month at Dockweiller RV Park has been disbanded.
“Dockweiller is closed because facilities relatively close by have opened,” she said. “All the people who were at Dockweiller have been transferred to other quarantine and isolation facilities. We opened a lot more facilities, and it was easier to provide services and support in other facilities, so that site is closed.”