The Olive View Medical Center in Sylmar, along with County USC Hospital in downtown Los Angeles, has received a tent to expand patient capacity amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The main tent is located near the entrance to the hospital’s Emergency Department, and has the capacity for up to 24 beds and medical equipment. Martha Molina Aviles, Health Deputy for Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, said the International Medical Corps tents were bought with a $600,000 donation from Providence St. Joseph Health.
The tent will be used to address shortage capacity and house non-coronavirus patients, leaving more space inside the hospital.
It was also announced that same-day or next-day testing for coronavirus is now available for Los Angeles city and county residents who report having symptoms of the coronavirus.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said individuals will not be prioritized based on risks associated with the virus because the city and county now have enough test kits.
People who had underlying health conditions or those who are 65 and older were being selected to be tested first.
“We now have enough capacity that we don’t have to have any prioritization,” Garcetti said. “It’s great news for anybody who’s feeling under the weather and has the symptoms of COVID-19.”
People can sign up for tests at coronavirus.lacity.org/testing, and that portal is open to Los Angeles city and county residents.
There were 257 new coronavirus cases among Los Angeles residents confirmed Tuesday, April 14, increasing the total to 4,462. There were 698 new cases confirmed in Los Angeles County, raising the total to 10,075.
There were also 46 new deaths reported throughout the county, the largest single-day jump in fatalities since the pandemic began. The number of county fatalities from the coronavirus is 366.
As the city’s Safer at Home orders were recently extended by Garcetti to May 15, he said the relaxed parking laws will also be extended to that date.
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation is not issuing citations to people who don’t move their cars on street sweeping days, and non-metered parking limits in residential areas are also not being enforced. Commercial areas and parking near businesses deemed essential by the Safer at Home orders will still be enforced. Examples of the relaxed parking laws are available at ladot.lacity.org/coronavirus. Garcetti also announced financial relief grants will be made available to artists who are struggling through the pandemic, and the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs has compiled a list of “arts resources.”
The emergency relief grants are for people whose shows were canceled or if they experienced other hardship due to the pandemic, Garcetti said.
The first round of funding is only available if people apply by May 1, and artists can visit culturela.org for more information.
Garcetti said he would continue to address the city’s plans to start scaling back the coronavirus orders once the pandemic subsides.
City News Service contributed to this report.