Rising coronavirus cases and deaths remain worrying, with four dozen more deaths confirmed today. As a result, the Los Angeles County Health Department on Thursday announced new enforcement measures designed to curb the spread of COVID-19, according to a county health official.
Health inspectors have continued to conduct compliance visits to ensure that companies have infection control measures. Twenty-six restaurants, a grocery store, a pool, and 67 other companies have been closed for infractions of the Health Officer Order. As a result, the Los Angeles Department of Public Health revealed a phased compliance and compliance plan Thursday that will include citations and fines for companies that continue to violate orders from health officials.
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Since March, Public Health has received a total of 17,808 complaints from orders from health officials and investigated more than 17,000 restaurants, more than 3,500 grocery stores, more than 600 pools, and more than 3,000 other businesses. Most of the companies investigated complied or were working to comply.
Starting in late August, County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis told reporters that fines will be imposed on companies that do not meet the requirements. Those fines range from $ 100 for the first violation to $ 500 and a 30-day suspension of the permit for multiple violations. This includes businesses authorized and permitted by the Department of Health, as well as those that do not have it.
Davis said inspectors generally try to work with companies to achieve regulatory compliance, rather than trying to shut down companies.
“While some may consider [the enforcement efforts] Punitive or harsh, it’s really about finding a way to reopen our economic sectors, “Davis said.
“This is an unprecedented public health emergency and we are still learning and adapting as we navigate this crisis,” Davis said. “COVID-19 is not going to disappear overnight. We all want our local businesses to be open and for more people to make a living and prosper again, but we must all operate responsibly. Business owners and operators are critical partners in stopping the spread of COVID-19. Protect your employees, protect your customers and help the whole community. “
“At least this week, we are still seeing troubling data,” Davis told reporters in an online briefing. “There are still a large number of cases, hospitalizations have exceeded 2,200 people for at least the past four days in a row and tragically people are still dying from COVID-19.”
On Thursday, the county confirmed an additional 2,014 new COVID cases, bringing the grand total to 166,848 since the start of the pandemic.
There were 2,210 confirmed coronavirus patients hospitalized on Thursday. 28% of those people are in the ICU.
Test results are available to almost 1,593,000 people, with 10 percent of all people testing positive. California requires counties’ positivity rate to be less than 8 percent before they can be removed from the state “watch list.”
The county also announced 49 other deaths. A total of 4,262 people have died as a result of the virus, according to the county.
At the state level, the image is even darker. California reported a record number of deaths on Thursday and the second highest total of new cases of the pandemic. The record was set yesterday.
The death toll rose to 157 people in the past 24 hours. The previous maximum, 149, was observed on July 12. That means the total number of COVID-related deaths in the state has now exceeded 8,000 and stands at 8,027.
California also saw 12,040 new massive COVID infections Thursday. That’s just below the record, set Wednesday, of 12,807 new cases. On Wednesday, Governor Gavin Newsom said the total was “the highest in the nation.”
In recent summer weather, Davis said inspectors also visited 174 residential pools and also found “generally good” compliance with capacity-limiting rules, though he said there was “room for improvement” in the furniture space of the pool to guarantee physical distance.
County public health director Barbara Ferrer said Wednesday that the county had no immediate plans to institute stricter orders to stay home or close businesses despite the recent increase in cases. Davis ‘overall optimism on Thursday seemed to echo that sentiment, but said it will depend on residents’ behavior.
“We all have a responsibility to follow these orders,” Davis said.
“That means we stay home as much as possible. It means that we practice physical distancing from those with whom we do not live, and it means that we must wear face covers when we leave our home and are close to others. These are not just obligations, they are acts of love and kindness, ”he said.
