The minor is believed to be the first underage person to die in the U.S. during the coronavirus pandemic.
Just minutes after it was revealed that Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally died Tuesday at age 81 due to complications from coronavirus in Florida, Los Angeles County reported its first death of an individual under the age of 18, another sign the pandemic affects all demographics.
Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Director of L.A. County's Department of Public Health, announced the news during the county's daily press briefing, during which she reported a total of four deaths ― bringing the total to 11 ― along with 128 new cases. The total number of coronavirus cases in L.A. County has risen sharply this week and now stands at 662. Ferrer was quick to point out that over the last 48 hours alone, there have been 256 new cases, a significant change to early last week when daily updates reported increases in the single digits.
“This is a devastating reminder that COVID-19 affects people of all ages,” Ferrer said in reference to the minor who died. She would only reveal that the person lived in Lancaster. No further details were immediately available. Regarding the other latest deaths, two individuals were between 50-70 years old and one "had underlying health conditions and resided in West Adams," per a press release issued following the press conference, and the other death was reported out of Long Beach.
As of Tuesday's briefing, 119 positive cases have been hospitalized at some point during infection. Ferrer once again tackled the myth that coronavirus infects the elderly in more devastating ways than younger demographics, citing the latest L.A. County statistics: 42 percent of positives are between the ages 18-40, while 39 percent are between the ages of 41-65.

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