L.A. County Announces Nine More Coronavirus Deaths

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Aaron Bandler

March 26, 2020

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 25: An aerial view shows Sunset Boulevard, shortly before sunset, with lighter than normal traffic amidst the coronavirus pandemic on March 25, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a ‘stay at home’ order for California’s 40 million residents, with exceptions for essential activities, in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced on March 26 that there have been nine additional coronavirus deaths in the county, bringing the total to 21.

There are now 1,216 total cases in the county. Two of the deaths have been removed from the current total; one was a 17-year-old boy in Lancaster who tested positive for the virus but may have died from other causes. The other was someone in a different county.

Public Health Department Director Barbara Ferrer said that more than 9,500 coronavirus tests have been given in the county.

“We’re catching up on backlogs in testing results that have been delayed,” Ferrer said.

The current hospitalization rate in the county for people who have tested positive for the virus is 21%, which comes to 253 people. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told Business Insider on March 25 that the county is 6-12 days away from having its hospitals overwhelmed like they are in New York City. He also said that the shelter-in-place order could last until May, if not longer.