LA County Announces 22 New Coronavirus Deaths, 978 New Cases

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LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- Los Angeles County health officials announced 22 new deaths and 978 new cases of coronavirus on Monday.

All but one person who died had underlying health conditions and 16 people were over the age of 65 years old.

The reports of rising cases across the county comes as testing capacity continues to increase.

Testing results are available for nearly 612,000 individuals and 8% of people testing positive, officials said.

Meanwhile, many testing sites were closed or closing early Monday due to the countywide state of emergency in response to days of unrest following the deadly arrest of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer also said that a pregnant woman who tested positive for coronavirus and her unborn child both died after complications.

"This is a very difficult time in our communities, and there are many people who are experiencing the profound sorrow of loved ones who have passed away from COVID-19," she said in a statement. "We are deeply sorry for your loss. Please know we think of you every day."

The public health department said it supports residents exercising their First Amendment rights through protesting, but they also encouraged protesters to wear face coverings and practice physical distancing as much as possible.

The best protection against coronavirus is to wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, stay at home if you are sick, practice physical distancing, and wear a clean face covering in public.