Los Angeles has become the first county in the nation with more than 1 million cases of coronavirus, health officials said.
More than 14,669 new cases were reported Saturday, bringing the total number to 1,003,923, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said.
The grim milestone comes as 7,597 people are currently hospitalized with the virus and at least 13,741 deaths.
“Our community is hardest hit by the winter wave, with massive numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths, five times more than during the summer,” said Barbara Ferrer, director of the province’s Department of Health.
Health officials also confirmed the first case of the new strain of the coronavirus first discovered in the UK on Saturday.
The patient is a man who recently spent time in the county and has now traveled to Oregon, where he is in isolation.
“This more contagious variant makes it easier for infections to spread in workplaces, stores and our homes,” Ferrer said. “We are in the middle of a public health emergency, so please do whatever you can to protect yourself and your loved ones.”