Manhattan Beach COVID-19 Cases Jump; 8th Highest Rate in L.A. County
Mar 31, 2020 04:01PM ● By Jeanne Fratello
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has risen in Manhattan Beach again, and the city now has the 8th-highest rate of infections in Los Angeles County, according to the L.A. County Department of Health.
As of Tuesday, March 31, there were 40 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Manhattan Beach.
New Measurement of "Rate" of Infection
The Los Angeles County Department of Health is now calculating a "rate" of infection per 100,000 people. According to LADPH, the rate is a "crude" measure that represents the number of cases
divided by the underlying population and allows for the proportional
comparison of cities of different sizes.
Using that measure, Manhattan Beach ranks 8th among Los Angeles county jurisdictions, with a rate of 113.73 per 100,000 population. (Note that Manhattan Beach does not have that many people, but this number represents a rate per 100,000.)
Manhattan Beach is outnumbered only by Hancock Park (182.65), Beverly Crest (161.36), West Hollywood (156.43), Bel Air (133.85), Melrose (128.81), Carthay (119.24), and Brentwood (115.14).
Of course it is possible that in many of these high-income jurisdictions, more patients with suspected cases may have access to COVID-19 testing, and therefore the number of confirmed cases would be higher.
Countywide Caseload Increasing
To date, LADPH has identified 3,011 cases across all areas of L.A. County, including 54 deaths.
Of the ten new deaths reported on Tuesday, six of the ten occurred in people over the age of
65, two between 41 and 65 years old; and two between 18 and 40 years old. All
had reported underlying health conditions except for one individual
between 18 and 40 years old.
“This is the highest daily number of deaths we've reported to date,
and our hearts go out to every family who has experienced loss related
to this pandemic,” said Los Angeles
County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer in a statement. “Though we expect to continue to see a
rise in positive COVID-19 cases and sadly, deaths in the weeks to come,
it is crucial that we continue to stay home as much as possible,
practice social distancing if we must go out for essential services,
self-isolate when we are sick, and self-quarantine if exposed to someone
who is sick. We are all in this together.”
No deaths have been reported in Manhattan Beach thus far.
School, Community Updates
In other community news:
- Monsignor John Barry of American Martyrs Church was released from the hospital on Tuesday, March 31, and is continuing his COVID-19 recovery at home.
- Manhattan Beach Unified School District Superintendent Mike Matthews said that even if MBUSD is not able to hold its graduation on June 11, the district would somehow hold a graduation ceremony in the future.
"I don’t know when it will be. It could be in August or December," wrote Matthews in a blog post. "But we will hold it, and when we do, it will be the most wonderful socially non-distant gathering and celebration I can possibly imagine."
- The city of Manhattan Beach has updated its list of grocery store and shopping hours for senior citizens here. Seniors who need assistance during the coronavirus crisis are urged to call the older adults hotline at (310) 802-5010.
