LOS ANGELES _ The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Saturday reported 2,103 new coronavirus infections and 35 more related deaths, marking a continuing downward trend in the effect of the disease.
The new numbers brought the county's totals to 220,762 positive cases of COVID-19 and 5,245 deaths. Saturday's death total was the lowest of any day this week.
Hospitalizations were down also, with 1,393 confirmed cases, fewer than any day since mid-June, the Health Department reported. Of those hospitalized, 33% were in the ICU.
More than 2 million tests have been given, with 10% of them coming out positive, a rate still above the state's desired level of 8%.
The infection total remains skewed by a backlog of cases from the state electronic lab report system, the report said, but hospitalizations and death numbers are not affected.
Two-thirds of the new deaths were people who had underlying health conditions, the health department reported. Nine were over 80, nine between 65 and 75, 11 between 50 and 65, and five between 39 and 49.
Of those whose race or ethnicity was known, 50% of deaths were Latino, 24% white, 15% Asian, 10% Black, fewer than 1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 1% identifying with other races.
The report said 34 cases and four deaths previously reported were found not to be L.A. County residents.
"With this weekend's high temperatures, I encourage everyone to take steps to stay cool and keep hydrated throughout the day while still practicing physical distancing and avoiding gatherings," L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. "Please note that cooling centers are open and safe places to go to avoid the extreme heat because every site is adhering to strict infection control and distancing measures."
The Orange County Health Care Agency reported 513 new cases and 20 more deaths Saturday, bringing the county's totals to 43,367 cases and 809 fatalities.
There were 434 COVID-19 patients in the county's hospitals, with 138 in the ICU.
The rate of residents testing positive for COVID-19 in the county was 6.7%, coming in below the state threshold, according to City News Service.
