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LA County Surpasses 20K COVID-19 Deaths; Test Positivity Rate Falls to 5.1%

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Tuesday reported 2,091 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 157 deaths, bringing countywide totals to 1,183,378 cases and 20,057 deaths.

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Elderly Asian Americans wear face shields and masks at a Covid-19 vaccination site in Los Angeles, California on February 23, 2021. - City-wide vaccination sites reopened after a temporary shutdown due to inclement weather which affected transportation of the vaccine. A California program meant to improve availability of Covid-19 vaccines in underserved minority communities is reportedly being misused by people in wealthier areas of Los Angeles, grabbing appointments reserved for residents of Black and Latino neighborhoods, according to a Los Angeles Times report on February 22. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

Of the new deaths reported, 51 people who died were over the age of 80, 58 people were between the ages of 65 and 79, 33 people were between the ages of 50 and 64, 12 people were between the ages of 30 and 49 and one person was between the ages of 18 and 29. Pasadena reported two deaths.

And while new COVID-19 cases and test positivity rates continue to decline, L.A. County remained in the most restrictive purple tier in the state's Blueprint for a Safer Economy with an adjusted case rate of 12.3 per 100,000 residents and a test positivity rate of 5.1%.

In order to move to the red tier, which would allow additional business sectors to reopen, the county must have a daily case rate at or below 7 per 100,000 residents and a test positivity rate at or below 8%.

Public Health also reported that between Feb. 14 and Feb. 18, a total of 36 citations were issued to businesses including restaurants, food markets, gyms, personal care salons and shopping malls for noncompliance. The department said a total of 1,025 citations have been issued since the end of August.

"As more and more of our county residents return to businesses and school, it's important to remember that the actions we all take today will affect the numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths several weeks from now," Dr. Barbara Ferrer, county public health director, said. "As we continue to bear witness to the devastating loss of life from COVID-19, we ask that everyone continue to use the tools we know work to slow the spread of the virus: wear a mask and keep 6 feet of distance anytime you are around others not in your household."

There were 2,146 COVID-19 patients hospitalized Tuesday, 31% of whom were being treated in intensive care units. With testing results available fore more than 5,778,000 individuals, the county's overall positivity rate was holding steady at 19%.

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