Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti Reveals His 9-Year-Old Daughter Tested Positive for COVID-19
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti's 9-year-old daughter Maya has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
"On Monday, my wife called to let us know that our beloved daughter Maya, who turned 9 this weekend, wasn't feeling very well. And after she came down with a fever, we had her tested for COVID-19 and her results came back positive," he said during a livestream address from his home on Thursday.
Garcetti said his daughter is "doing fine" with mild symptoms and that she no longer has a fever.
In keeping with COVID-19 exposure guidelines, Garcetti and his wife, Amy Wakeland, have started quarantining at home while Maya will "isolate for at least 10 days from the time when her symptoms first appeared," he said.
Garcetti added he has "no idea" how Maya contracted the virus, explaining that "there's no behavior she is engaged in that doesn't adhere strictly to protocols of our health officials."
"I'll admit she had some tears in her eyes, but I reassured her that it's going to be okay," he said. "Children are at a very, very low risk. They don't need to fear this, but they do need to follow all the protocol so they don't become inadvertent spreaders to a parent or a grandparent that can put them at great risk."
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According to Los Angeles Public Health, there have been at least 580,325 COVID-19 cases and 8,664 coronavirus-related deaths in the Los Angeles County to date. On Thursday, health officials reported 4,864 current hospitalizations in the county.
Earlier in December, Garcetti issued stronger restrictions amid a surge of COVID-19 cases, requiring all L.A. residents to stay at home and prohibiting public or private gatherings of more than one household, with an exception for faith-based services and protests.
"Our City is now close to a devastating tipping point, beyond which the number of hospitalized patients would start to overwhelm our hospital system, in turn risking needless suffering and death," the order read. "These unfortunate facts about the spread of COVID-19 in our City mean that we must resume some of the more restrictive measures we instituted in the Spring."
The order required businesses to stop all in-person operations, though lists a number of exemptions — including grocery stores, gas stations, banks and more. It also exempted essential workers, such as first responders, government employees, those who care for others and infrastructure workers.
Restaurants are no longer allowed to have in-person dining, and can only operate through pick-up or delivery.
"My message couldn't be simpler," Garcetti said during a Dec. 2 press briefing. "It's time to hunker down. It's time to cancel everything. And if it isn't essential, don't do it."
"Don't meet up with others outside your household. Don't host a gathering. Don't attend a gathering," he said. "And following our targeted Safer at Home order, if you're able to stay home, stay home."
As of Thursday, there have been more than 17,224,500 COVID-19 cases in the United States and at least 310,500 deaths from coronavirus-related illnesses, according to a New York Times database.
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.
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