Los Angeles County sees decline in virus case rates

Los Angeles County officials are reporting a decline in recent cases of COVID-19. The latest figures released Monday indicate that cases among health care workers in the county have also dropped. "As cases overall have declined and as so many of our health care workers are fully vaccinated, cases have dropped to the lowest they have ever been since the beginning of the pandemic," Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said during a briefing.

The death toll climbed precipitously in the county amid a fall and winter surge that has begun to taper off as cases and hospitalizations drop.

While California has the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S., it is ranked 25th in the number of cases per capita because of its large population.

The state has begun to ease more restrictions on businesses after lifting a stay-home order about a month ago. Gov. Gavin Newsom and state legislative leaders have also reached an agreement aimed at getting most public school children back in classrooms by the end of March

Image: AP