Los Angeles County reported 2,103 new cases of COVID-19 and 35 more deaths Saturday, bringing the county’s totals to 220,762 cases and 5,245 fatalities.

Officials with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said a backlog of cases from issues with the state electronic lab report system is still expected, although data that tracks other key indicators, including hospitalizations and deaths, are not affected by the reporting issue.

“With this weekend’s high temperatures, I encourage everyone to take steps to stay cool and keep hydrated throughout the day while still practicing physical distancing and avoiding gatherings” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. “Please note that cooling centers are open and safe places to go to avoid the extreme heat because every site is adhering to strict infection control and distancing measures.”

As of Saturday, there were 1,393 people hospitalized with the virus, with 33% in intensive care, continuing a downward trend that has led to cautious optimism that the county is successfully slowing the impact of COVID-19.

Other Key Figures

• The number of people hospitalized was 1,415 on Friday.
• The seven-day rolling average of daily hospitalizations was 1,521 as of Friday, down about 25% from the 2,026 average at the end of July.
• Testing results were available for nearly 2,063,000 individuals with 10% of all people testing positive.

Given the ELR delays, the department urged any person with a positive lab result to call 1-833-540-0473 to connect with a public health specialist who can provide information about services and support. Residents who do not have COVID-19 should continue to call 211 for resources or more information.