LA Mayor Garcetti: 'We are not closing any additional businesses or activities' as COVID-19 threat level remains at orange
Mayor Eric Garcetti says Los Angeles remains at the city's COVID-19 threat level orange, which means people should continue to take precautions and minimize contact with others as much as possible.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Mayor Eric Garcetti says Los Angeles remains at the city's COVID-19 threat level orange, which means a second mandatory stay-at-home order will not be announced this week, but people should continue to take precautions and minimize contact with others as much as possible.
The city's coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and positivtiy rate remain high. L.A. officials on Tuesday reported 1,133 new cases and 15 additional deaths, bringing the city's total to 67,232 cases and 1,967 deaths.
"We are not moving to red, we are not closing any additional businesses or activities," Garcetti said. "As I've communicated every single time, it takes three weeks or so to see the effect of our actions -- both when we open, and also when we restrict."
City officials have pointed to the July 4 holiday weekend as a contributing factor in the recent surge.
RELATED: LA's rise in COVID-19 cases due in part to July 4, officials say
COVID-19 is close to becoming the No. 1 killer in L.A. County, second only to heart disease. But health officials say the virus is closing in fast, and much more deadly than the common flu.
Garcetti also discussed how much the city is paying for testing. The mayor is hopeful the federal government will reimburse the city for some of the testing costs.
Garcetti reiterated his admission on Sunday that L.A. reopened too quickly and again warned that the city was "on the brink" of new shutdown orders as the coronavirus continues to surge in California.
"I do think that we all can see in retrospect that some things did open up too quickly. That we didn't stick with the methodology of do something and wait three weeks and see the effect, then take the next step. It became kind of a domino effect with, as I call it, an irrational exuberance of everybody thinking we can rush back to normal."
RELATED: Garcetti: LA reopened too quickly; new stay-at-home orders likely
Though a second citywide shutdown has not been announced, officials are urging people to continue to wear face coverings and practice physical distancing.
Health officials are also reminding people that the virus does not discriminate, with younger people accounting for 57% of new COVID-19 cases in L.A. county. County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said individuals in that age group appear to have taken a cavalier approach toward protections against the potentially deadly virus.
However, a majority of the deaths related to the virus are individuals over the age of 65.
