by Steven Felschundneff | steven@claremont-courier.com

New data released this week by Los Angeles County Public Health reports no deaths from the novel coronavirus in the city of Claremont. However, Los Angeles County reached a grim landmark this week, recording 1,056 deaths, which has grown from 797 reported last Wednesday.

“L.A. County has hit the tragic milestone of 1,000 people dying from COVID-19. Please know that if you are grieving the loss of loved ones who have died from COVID-19, our thoughts and prayers are with you, your family, and your friends. We wish you healing and peace,” Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said.

Los Angeles County currently accounts for 53 percent of the 1,982 COVID-19 deaths in the state of California. Just 12 states have more total deaths than L.A. County, according to data compiled by the Washington Post. That places us between Georgia with 1,095 deaths and Indiana with 964. Adjusted for population, the county’s death rate is 10.5 per 100,000, compared with 10.6 for Georgia and 14.5 for Indiana.

As of Wednesday, total cases in the city of Claremont rose to 24, after remaining steady at 22 for four consecutive days.

Public Health has confirmed 56 new deaths and 1,541 new cases of COVID-19 since its update on Tuesday. That is the largest single day jump in new cases since the county started releasing data back on March 4. Forty-one people who died were over the age of 65; nine were between the ages of 41 and 65, and two were between 18 and 40. Forty-two people had underlying health conditions including 34 over the age of 65.

The surge in new cases is the result of expanded testing the county has instituted over the past week, plus a jump in institutional cases such as nursing homes and prisons, according the Los Angeles Times.

Since its first coronavirus update health officials have reported 1,056 deaths and identified 22,485 positive cases across all areas of L.A. County. Ninety-two percent of people who died had underlying health conditions. As of Wednesday, a total of 4,715 people who tested positive for COVID-19 have been hospitalized at some point during their illness.

Given the essential role of healthcare workers during the pandemic, public health is tracking their numbers including 11 deaths among workers in a healthcare setting and eight who worked in skilled nursing facilities.

Among healthcare workers and first responders, the county has recorded 1,968 confirmed cases with about 8 percent requiring hospitalization as of Tuesday. Nurses account for 43 percent of cases while 5 percent are physicians. Forty percent of healthcare workers reported that they were exposed to COVID-19 in a healthcare facility. Another 52 percent do not know, or did not report, how they were exposed. Healthcare workers who are positive worked at 24 different settings across the county; 35 percent in hospitals and 3 percent in skilled nursing.

“Healthcare workers are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, and they put themselves at risk everyday so that we all can receive excellent care. We owe them a debt of gratitude and the protection and equipment they need to do their jobs safely. They are our heroes,” Ms. Ferrer said.