California Coronavirus Update: State Nears 75,000 Cases, Half Of Them In L.A. County, As Residents Head To The Beach

Angelenos are heading to county beaches this weekend for the first time since March 27. That, as California hits a grim milestone.

On Friday morning, the state reported that there have been 74,936 COVID-19 cases here since the outbreak began. Given that the daily count of new cases on Thursday was 1,772, by the time L.A. residents dip their toes in the sand there should be well over 75,000 cases reported in the Golden State.

More sobering might be the fact that over half of those total cases were recorded in L.A. County. Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer reported 952 new cases on Friday, with 36,259 total cases. She also reported 1755 total deaths in the County. That’s the majority of the 3,108 deaths reported statewide.

Amid contrast of beautiful beach weather and grim numbers, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti launched his “All In for LA” campaign “to encourage and inspire Angelenos to remain unified, vigilant and resilient in the response to COVID-19.”

The centerpiece of that effort is a new public service announcement that features the stories of restaurant workers, a laid-off bartender, a new father, a working mother, a new couple, a medical professional and words of encouragement from none other than Danny Trejo.

Watch the PSA below.

The “All in for LA” spot will air during local newscasts, and appear on social media platforms and digital billboards across Los Angeles. It was directed by John X. Carey and created via a pro-bono collaboration with the creative agency 72andSunny Los Angeles. The campaign itself was made possible by donations totaling nearly $1 million.

Finally on Friday, the much-touted USNS Mercy left port for San Diego. During its time in Los Angeles, the ship treated 77 patients and had 7 crew members test positive for COVID-19.