COVID-19 City Update – 4.15

By the Numbers (Long Beach only):

• 379 positive results, including 49 people who are hospitalized and approximately 190* cases where people have recovered. 
• 84 positive cases have been confirmed at five long-term care facilities in Long Beach. These include both facility residents and staff members (who may not be Long Beach residents). Glen Park Assisted Living has completed 14 days without any new cases.
• One more death has been reported, bringing the total to 18. The male had underlying health conditions. 
• Details re: fatalities
  • All had underlying health conditions
  • 13 are associated with long-term care facilities
  • Three individuals were in their 50s, three were in their 60s, two were in their 70s, and 10 were over 80 years old
  • Five individuals were men and 13 were women 
  • At this time, to avoid risk to patient privacy, no further details will be provided

*Please note that, for low-risk patients recovering at home, recovery data is self-reported. The City will update this number to the best of its ability, but can only provide an approximate total.

Today’s Highlights:

• Glen Park Assisted Living, a long-term care facility, has completed 14 days without any new cases.
• At 3 p.m. today, there will be a news briefing with Mayor Garcia, City Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis and a Spanish-language translator from the Health Department. The briefing will be livestreamed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @LongBeachCity.
• The 17 public safety officials (16 Long Beach firefighters and one police officer) who had previously tested positive for COVID-19 have all been cleared to return to work. This includes the public safety officials who do not live in Long Beach. At present, there are no public safety officials who are positive for COVID-19.
• The City has been studying the effects of COVID-19 on the population, by ethnicity.  
• The data show a disparity in hospitalization rates by race/ethnicity.

*Race/ethnicity data, as of April 10, 2020, were available for 61% of those with positive diagnoses. The percentages are of the 187 cases where data were available.

• The City plans to address the disparity as follows:
  • Offer additional free, drive-through testing in neighborhoods with large African American populations.
  • Better educate the community on the importance of social distancing practices as well as how to effectively social distance and quarantine to limit the spread of COVID-19.
  • Identify isolation sites for those who cannot safely isolate at home.
  • Provide additional support to households in quarantine and isolation.
• The City projects an economic impact to its budget due to the COVID-19 emergency, and plans to take the following steps to remain as fiscally sound as feasible, including:
  • Continual monitoring of the financial impact as the situation continues to evolve.
  • Evaluating one-time projects and one-time spending to assess potential areas of savings.
  • Reducing non-pandemic operating expenditures where feasible.
  • Actively looking for funding or other mechanisms to offset costs.
• The City’s Disaster Relief Fund has reached $1 million, and money is already being granted to organizations helping people affected by COVID-19.

Safer at Home Order:

• Latest version of“Safer at Home” Order (4/10)
• Two Health Orders are in effect requiring individuals with COVID-19 to self-isolate, and those at risk to self-quarantine (4/01)

Past News Releases:

• To view past COVID-19-related press releases, visit the City Press Release  Archive. Releases include information about economic relief, help for people experiencing homelessness and updates regarding City operations.

Joint Information Center:

• The Joint Information Center (JIC) remains open during normal business hours, seven days a week: 562.570.NEWS (6397) or JIC@longbeach.gov.

Important Public Safety Announcements:

• The City urges people to remain calm. Follow @LongBeachCity on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and visit longbeach.gov/COVID19 for guidance. Sign up for Alert Long Beach to receive emergency notifications.
• Long Beach Police and Fire Departments remain fully committed to the ongoing City efforts to ensure the safety and health of its community members. 
• The Long Beach Board of Water Commissioners approved enforcement of the City’s March 28 Health Order to, as a last resort, shut off water service to non-essential businesses operating in violation of the health order.

Who To Call & Additional Resources:

• Up-To-Date Local Information on COVID-19: longbeach.gov/COVID19 and @LongBeachCity on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Highlights can be found using the hashtag #COVID19LongBeach. 
• Media Inquiries: 562.570.NEWS (6397) or JIC@longbeach.gov 
• Business Information Line (normal business hours): 562.570.4BIZ (4249)

• Public Information Line (normal business hours): 562.570.INFO (4636)
• Health Providers:
  • Normal hours: 562.570.4302
  • After hours emergency only: 562.500.5537

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: cdc.gov/COVID19 
• Ready.gov: ready.gov/pandemic
• Port of Long Beach COVID-19 information: polb.com/business/covid-19-information/#covid-19-overview