L.A. County's coronavirus deaths reach new high on Easter

Los Angeles County officials reported 31 new coronavirus deaths on Easter Sunday, the largest single-day total since the outbreak began. Across California, meanwhile, communities ushered in the Easter holiday with new restrictions to keep people indoors and away from public gatherings where the coronavirus might spread. To deter crowds from assembling for traditional outdoor observances, all L.A. County parks, lakes and botanical gardens were closed to the public . Ricardo Viveros asked parishioners to send photos of themselves to place in the pews at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Atwater Village in Los Angeles. The popular walking path around the Silver Lake Reservoir remained open but was converted to a one-way trail Saturday. The cities of Burbank, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Hermosa Beach, Long Beach, Santa Monica and West Hollywood also announced that their parks would be closed and that violating the orders could result in a misdemeanor charge. Aki Hirata, a floor manager at Nijiya Market in Torrance, said there was confusion among customers on Friday when the order took effect. Health officials insist that stringent social distancing measures are essential to fighting the spread of the coronavirus and minimizing the number of deaths. In adherence with the ban on group gatherings, many churches in the Southland held Easter services online. “Nothing can separate us from the love of God, not persecution, famine, pestilence, or plague,” Archbishop José H. Gomez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said in a statement.