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LA County Health Officials Push For Residents To Get Flu Shot, Keep Taking Coronavirus Precautions

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- Los Angeles County health officials say they are concerned about a potential spike in hospital demand if there is a surge in flu cases along with new coronavirus diagnoses.

On Saturday, 953 new coronavirus cases and 10 additional deaths were reported -- representing what officials said was a "low number" due to several missing reports from Friday evening.

The countywide coronavirus total now stands at 288,136 cases and 6,863 deaths.

A total of 746 people were hospitalized due to the virus as of Saturday, which is up from 735 on Friday, 723 on Thursday, 720 on Wednesday and 692 on Tuesday.

The department continues to urge residents to keep taking coronavirus precautions and get the flu shot to protect themselves from influenza.

While new a health order released earlier this week now allows limited private gatherings with three or fewer households as long as people are wearing face coverings and meeting outdoors, along with other restrictions, people are still encouraged to limit COVID-19 transmission.

RELATED: LA County To Allow Private Gatherings In Accordance With State Guidance

"To slow community spread of COVID-19 in our county we must all partner together; businesses and residents must do their part and adopt the infection control measures that we know to be effective,'' county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.

Los Angeles County remains in Tier 1, the most restrictive category, in the state's four-tier Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

In order to move out of Tier 1, the county has to get it daily average new case numbers down to about 700. In the past week, however, the number has regularly topped 1,200.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
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