The announcement by Mayor Eric Garcetti makes L.A. the first major city to offer free testing to all its residents. It came as county health officials reported another 1,541 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
The announcement, which makes Los Angeles the first major city to offer free testing to all its residents, came on the same day that county health officials reported a surge in the number of new COVID-19 cases, which they attributed in part to more widespread testing.another 1,541 cases — its largest single-day increase since the start of the pandemic. It also reported 56 additional deaths due to the coronavirus.
Health officials say despite the uptick, the rate of hospitalization and death in the county has remained steady. Los Angeles County now has a total of nearly 22,500 confirmed cases — accounting for nearly half of California's more than 46,000. Until now, due to a scarcity of test kits, only people showing symptoms of COVID-19, essential workers and those in institutional settings, such as nursing homes, could receive a test in Los Angeles.
Garcetti's announcement could be a significant milestone, because health officials say without widespread testing they are unable to accurately track the spread of the disease. That information could then be used to determine when it is safe to ease stay-at-home orders.and get one at one of dozens of testing sites in the area, the mayor said at a news conference on Wednesday.Garcetti said Los Angeles currently accounts for roughly 9% of all the tests nationwide.
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