As of Sunday afternoon, L.A. County has 913 deaths and more than 19,500 confirmed cases of coronavirus, reflecting 18 new deaths and another 440 new cases. One of the new deaths occurred in a person between the age of 18 and 41, county officials reported.
Wednesday, April 22 marked the deadliest 24 hours of coronavirus in the state. California Gov. Gavin Newsom reported Thursday that 115 people died the previous day, underscoring the vital responsibility to stay home and limit the spread of the virus. Earlier this month, Newsom announced a framework of six parameters he says it will take to reopen the state's economy. L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a similar five-pillar plan.
The official death toll topped 200,000 worldwide, with about 3 million confirmed infections, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The true toll is believed to be much higher, because of inadequate testing, differences in counting the dead and efforts by some governments to conceal the extent of their outbreaks. The number of dead in the U.S. reached about 55,000 — close to the 58,000 U.S. troops killed during the Vietnam War. Italy, Britain, Spain and France accounted for more than 20,000 deaths each. In the state of Georgia, where Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has moved aggressively to get businesses back on track, restaurants received the go-ahead to resume dine-in service on Monday as long as they follow certain restrictions, including keeping tables 6 feet apart.
Today on AirTalk, we get the latest updates on COVID-19 from an infectious disease specialist. Plus, Mayor Garcetti joins Larry to discuss the latest outlook for the city. Do you have questions? Call 866-893-5722.
With files from LAist and the Associated Press. Read the full LAist story here.
Guest:
Kimberly Shriner, M.D., infectious disease specialist at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena
Eric Garcetti, mayor of the City of Los Angeles; he tweets