Long Beach reported 6 more deaths due to coronavirus since Wednesday, bringing the total to 99 deaths in Long Beach.
Although the city reported 2,227 confirmed cases on Saturday, the closure of many testing facilities in Long Beach on June 1 and 2 may have affected daily case reporting, city officials said.
Out of the almost 100 COVID-19 deaths, 76 of those were related to long-term care facilities. In Saturday’s update report, officials said 76 people were hospitalized because of the virus, but hospitalization numbers for coronavirus cases have drastically increased since earlier this week.
As protests over the death of Geroge Floyd and police brutality continue to draw crowds in the thousands, health officials urge people to continue to wear a mask.
“This is still a serious health issue and will continue to be more serious,” Mayor Robert Garcia said.
Long Beach Health Director Kelly Colopy said the next two weeks will be critical as people typically begin to show symptoms in five to 10 days after they are exposed.
The state announced a series of new checklists for counties hoping to get bars, sit-down restaurants, gyms, hotels, summer camps and bowling alleys open again as early as next Friday. And while the state enters its “Phase 3” of opening, Sonia Angell, Director of the California Department of Public Health, stressed that it is still up to local health authorities to decide if next week is still too soon.