Pasadena Reports No New COVID-19 Deaths

For the first time in at least two weeks, Pasadena health officials reported no new Coronavirus deaths.

On Wednesday the city reported just new two cases of the Coronavirus.

The report was a change from recent reports that showed increased cases daily.

In total, the city has confirmed 263 cases of the virus and 68 deaths. All decedents were between ages 49 and 98 years, and had underlying health conditions.

The city’s battle with the virus has been centered around long term health care facilities. All 68 deaths have come from the city’s long term health care facilities.

The city recently issued an order aimed at controlling the outbreak in long term health care facilities.

It is too early to tell if the lack of fatalities is related to the order.

The order directs licensed skilled nursing facilities (SNF) and assisted living facilities (ALF) to follow certain infection prevention and control measures, including following current guidance of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the California Department of Public Health, and the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid.

The measures include limited entry of individuals into facilities, required symptom screening for all employees prior to work, suspension of communal dining and activities, separation of patients with COVID-19 from those who do not have the illness, and use of proper personal protective effective against COVID-19.

Just as the numbers were released Mayor Terry Tornek called on local residents to be patient as the Safer at Home order continues into its second month.

“Our Public Health department has been working hard to manage the nursing home hotspots & pursuing vital tracking & tracing of infected people,” Tornek wrote in an op/ed published by Pasadena Now.

On Monday, county health officials reported more 66 additional fatalities due to the virus, pushing the total over 700,

The county’s public health director Barbara Ferrer said on Wednesday that testing is being bolstered in the county’s skilled nursing facilities, which account for 40 percent of the county’s coronavirus deaths.

The additional deaths increased the countywide total to 732.