Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, September 19, 2020

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, September 19, 2020 

09/18/2020 3:30pm 

(Compared to 9/11/2020)

LOS ANGELE COUNTY* 09/11/20 

 Total Cases 257,271 252,066

Deaths 6,324 6,171 

STATS BY CITY Population Cases Deaths 

 (last week's stats in parenthesis)

 09/11/20

Pasadena 14,1371 2485 (2455) 121 (117)

Uninc- East Pasadena 6,403 78 (76) 1 (1)

 

City of Arcadia 57,754 470 (458) 33 (32)

Uninc. - Arcadia 7.981 85 (85) 3 (3)

City of Bradbury 1,069 14 (14) 0 (0)

City of Duarte 22,016 534 (519) 29 (28)

Uninc.- Duarte 4,428 144 (133) 4 (4)

City of Monrovia 38,800 730 (712) 37 (37)

Uninc - Monrovia 3,881 80 (78) 0 (0)

 

City of Sierra Madre 10,989 72 (68) 3 (3)

City of So.Pasadena 26,053 265 (260) 27 (27)

Uninc.- Altadena 43,260 673 (661) 13 (13)

La County Testing as of 09/18/20: 2,493,557 (2,405,239)

Positivity Rate (No. of persons positive out of total persons tested)

as 09/18/20: 10.1%

Nationally recommended Positivity Level: 5%

 For updated information go to: http://dashboard.publichealth.lacounty.gov/covid19_
surveillance_dashboard/ 

Public Health Reminds Everyone to Get Immunized against the Flu

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has 
confirmed 38 new deaths and 1,160 new cases of confirmed COVID-19. 
To date, Public Health has identified 257,271 positive cases of COVID-19 
across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 6,324 deaths. 

There are 780 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 and 31% of 
these people are in the ICU. The number of daily hospitalizations has returned 
to levels seen early in the pandemic.

Because it is highly likely that both flu and COVID-19 will be present in 
L.A. County this year, Public Health advises residents to protect themselves 
from the flu by getting the flu immunization.

Every year, tens of thousands of people nationwide are hospitalized or 
die from flu-related illness. Considering the toll COVID-19 has had on 
our healthcare system, now more than ever it is important to be protected 
from influenza by getting immunized. Not only is getting immunized important 
because it is safe and provides protection against the harmful effects 
of influenza, it can also help keep people out of the hospital which 
will conserve hospital resources that may be taxed with both influenza and 
COVID-19 circulating at the same time.

You can get the flu immunization from your regular health care provider 
or local pharmacy. Flu immunizations are also provided at no-cost or 
low-cost at various locations throughout the County. For more information 
on where you can get immunized for the flu, visit: www.publichealth.
lacounty.gov.

“We send our deepest sympathies to everyone who has lost a loved one 
or friend to COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director 
of Public Health. “As many residents are spending more time indoors to 
avoid the poor air quality, I remind everyone to take precautions to minimize 
COVID-19 spread if you are indoors with others. Please remember 
to distance from other people, wear a face covering, and wash your hands 
frequently and to clean high touch surfaces often if around others who are 
at high risk. It is important to continue to isolate from others if you are sick 
and to get tested for COVID-19 if you were exposed or have symptoms. "

Of the 38 new deaths reported today, 13 people that passed away were over 
the age of 80 years old, 10 people who died were between the ages of 65 
and 79 years old, nine people who died were between the ages of 50 and 
64 years old, and four people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49 
years old. Thirty-two people who died had underlying health conditions 
including 12 people over the age of 80, seven people between the ages of 
65 and 79 years old, nine people between the ages of 50 and 64 years old, 
and four people between the ages of 30 and 49 years old. Two deaths were 
reported by the City of Long Beach.

Ninety-two percent of the people who died from COVID-19 had underlying 
health conditions. Of those who died, information about race and 
ethnicity is available for 5,950 people (99 percent of the cases reported by 
Public Health); 51% of deaths occurred among Latino/Latinx residents, 
23% among White residents, 15% among Asian residents, 10% among 
African American/Black residents, less than 1% among Native Hawaiian/
Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other 
races. Upon further investigation, 37 cases and 17 deaths reported earlier 
were not L.A. County residents.

Testing results are available for more than 2,494,000 individuals with 10% 
of all people testing positive.

The best way to prevent getting and spreading COVID-19 is to avoid being 
exposed to the virus. Always put six feet of distance between yourself and 
people who don’t live in your household. Always wear a face covering in 
public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household. 
The face covering is meant to protect other people in case you are infected. 
You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick. And 
others can spread COVID-19 to you when they have no illness symptoms. 
Please remember to also wash hands frequently.

The Reopening Protocols, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, 
Roadmap to Recovery, Recovery Dashboard, and additional things you 
can do to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the 
Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY 

COVID-19 UPDATE 9/18/2020

 SMOKE ADVISORY

Unhealthy Air Quality Declared due to Smoke from Wildfires Burning in the Region

LOS ANGELES – According to the South Coast Air Quality Management District, smoke from 
wildfires burning in the region has caused unhealthy air quality in the following areas:

West San Gabriel Valley

East San Gabriel Valley 

Pomona-Walnut Valley

San Gabriel Mountains

This advisory remains in effect through Saturday, September 19.

“It is difficult to tell where smoke, ash or soot from a fire will go, or how winds will affect the level 
of these particles in the air, so we ask everyone to remember that smoke and ash can be harmful 
to health, even for people who are healthy," said Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, Health Officer for Los 
Angeles County. “If you can see smoke, soot, or ash, or you can smell smoke, pay attention to your 
immediate environment and take precautions to safeguard your health. These precautions are particularly 
important for children, older adults, and people with heart or lung diseases.”

These precautions include avoiding unnecessary outdoor exposure and limiting physical exertion 
(whether indoor or outdoor), such as exercise. Children and people who have air quality sensitive 
conditions, such as heart disease, asthma, and other chronic respiratory diseases, should follow 
these recommendations and stay indoors as much as possible even in areas where smoke, soot, or 
ash cannot be seen, or there is no smell of smoke. If your condition worsens, contact your health 
care provider immediately for medical advice or call 911.

Wildfire smoke is a mixture of small particles, gases, and water vapor. Small particles are the primary 
health concern. These small particles can cause burning eyes, runny nose, scratchy throat, 
headaches, and illness (i.e., bronchitis). In people with sensitive conditions, they can cause difficulty 
breathing, wheezing, coughing, fatigue, and chest pain.

“We are also advising day camps that are in session in smoke-impacted areas to suspend outside 
recreational activities, such as hiking or picnics, until conditions improve,” said Dr. Davis.

People can participate in indoor activities in areas with visible smoke, soot, or ash, provided the 
indoor location has air conditioning that does not draw air from the outside, and it has closed 
windows and doors to protect the cleanliness of indoor air. If not, it is recommended that everyone 
follow these guidelines as if they were outside.

The following recommendations will help you protect yourself and your family from the harmful 
effects of unhealthy or poor air quality:

If you see or smell smoke or see a lot of particles and ash in the air, avoid unnecessary outdoor 
activity to limit your exposure to harmful air. This is especially important for those with heart or 
lung disease (including asthma), the elderly and children.

If outdoor air is bad, try to keep indoor air as clean as possible by keeping windows and doors 
closed. Air conditioners that re-circulate air within the home can help filter out harmful particles.

Avoid using air conditioning units that only draw in air from the outside or that do not have a re-
circulating option. Residents should check the filters on their air conditioners and replace them 
regularly. Indoor air filtration devices with HEPA filters can further reduce the level of particles 
that circulate indoors.

If it is too hot during the day to keep the doors or windows closed and you do not have an air 
conditioning unit that re-circulates indoor air, consider going to an air-conditioned place, such as 
a cooling center, to stay cool and to protect yourself from harmful air.

Do not use fireplaces (either wood burning or gas), candles, and vacuums. Use damp cloths to 
clean dusty indoor surfaces. Do not smoke.

If you have symptoms of lung or heart disease that may be related to smoke exposure, including 
severe coughing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness or pain, 
palpitations, nausea or unusual fatigue or lightheadedness, contact your doctor immediately or go 
to an urgent care center. If life-threatening, please contact 911. 

When smoke is heavy for a prolonged period of time, fine particles can build up indoors even 
though you may not be able to see them. Wearing a mask may prevent exposures to large particles. 
However, most masks do not prevent exposure to fine particles and toxic gases, which may be 
more dangerous to your health.

Practice safe clean-up following a fire. Follow the ash clean-up and food safety instructions at: 
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/docs/ReturningHomeAfterAFire.pdf.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com