Los Angeles County recorded its second highest number of COVID deaths ever on Saturday, while country health officials also reported a second confirmed case of the UK variant of the virus which is considered more contagious but not more deadly.
Meanwhile, the county’s large-scale COVID-19 vaccination site at Dodger Stadium was briefly and unexpectedly closed Saturday after protesters showed up at the entrance. Public safety officials were able to reopen the site in the afternoon as hundreds of cars waited in line.
The Los Angeles Fire Department shut down the gates of the stadium site for almost an hour after protesters tried to get inside. The gates were shut from 1:50 p.m. to 2:45 p.m., according to firefighter David Ortiz, who said police estimated there were about 50 protesters.
Video from the scene showed one protester with a sign urging the recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom, and others carried signs opposing the COVID-19 vaccine.
The gates were closed to keep the protesters out, Ortiz said. People in vehicles inside when the gates were closed got their vaccines and those locked out got their shots when the protesters left, he said.
There were no arrests, according to Officer Rosario Cervantes of the LAPD.
County health officials announced 316 more COVID-related deaths on Saturday. The county’s cumulative death toll is now 16,647 people.
The 316 deaths is the second highest number of COVID deaths in a single day the county has ever recorded. The highest number was 318 deaths, recorded on Jan. 8.
There are 5,669 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Los Angeles County on Saturday. That’s 186 fewer people than were hospitalized on Friday when there were 5,855 people hospitalized.
The county’s all-time high for COVID hospitalizations occurred on Jan. 7, when there were 8,098 people hospitalized.
There are approximately 1,420 people in the ICU, roughly 26% of the people who are hospitalized.
LA County reported 6,918 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday. The county now has a cumulative total of 1,111,089 cases since the pandemic began in March.
To date, more than 5.48 million people have been tested for the coronavirus since the pandemic began. Of those tested, an overall average of 19% are testing positive.
West Hollywood recorded 22 new cases for a cumulative total of 1,932 cases since the pandemic began. The city had no new deaths; the cumulative death total is 24 deaths.
Below are the numbers for areas near West Hollywood:
- Beverly Hills – 13 new cases for a total of 2,231 cases and no new deaths for a total of 22 deaths.
- Carthay neighborhood – 4 new cases for a total of 819 cases and 1 new death for a total of 45 deaths.
- Century City – 3 new cases for a total of 532 cases and no new deaths for a total of 9 deaths.
- Culver City – 9 new cases for a total of 1,897 cases and 1 new death for a total of 69 deaths.
- Hollywood – 35 new cases for a total of 4,775 cases and 3 new deaths for a total of 52 deaths.
- Melrose neighborhood – 31 new cases total of 7,184 cases and 1 new death for a total of 163 deaths.
- Miracle Mile – 4 new cases for a total of 803 cases and no new deaths for a total of 13 deaths.
- Park La Brea – 6 new case for a total of 511 cases and no new deaths for a total of 1 death.
- Santa Monica – 24 new cases for a total of 3,910 cases and no new deaths for a total of 114 deaths.
The Carthay neighborhood incorporates the areas of Los Angeles between the Beverly Hills city limits and Fairfax Avenue, with Beverly Boulevard as the northern border and Wilshire Boulevard as the southern border.
The Melrose neighborhood incorporates the areas of Los Angeles east of La Cienega and west of Vermont Avenue, between Santa Monica Boulevard on the north and Beverly Boulevard on the south.
For information about the many resources available to West Hollywood residents who have been impacted by COVID-19, CLICK HERE.
