Los Angeles, Jul 7 (IANS): US public health officials registered an additional 48 COVID-19 deaths in Los Angeles County, the most populated in the country, taking the total number of fatalities to 3,534.

On Monday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health also reported 1,584 new cases of novel coronavirus infections, bringing the caseload to 116,570 in the metropolitan area, reports Xinhua news agency.

Los Angeles County public health officials noted that almost 50 per cent of new cases were among residents aged 18-40.

There are 1,921 people currently hospitalized, 28 per cent of whom are in the intensive care units and 18 per cent on ventilators.

Hospitalizations for individuals aged 18-40 have increased from a little over 10 percent of hospitalized cases in April to about 25 percent in July, according to the daily update of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

"Many families are experiencing the profound grief of losing a loved one to COVID-19. We are so sorry for your loss, and wish you healing and peace," Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.

"Our ability to follow the most basic infection control and distancing directives reduces serious illness, and even death of the people we love, and the death of those loved by others. What we do now determines where we are in 3-4 weeks. The sooner we all recommit to taking care of each other, the sooner we create a new normal, where we get back to work, school, and our friends and extended family," she added.

California reported 5,699 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, mainly driven by a backlog of infections in Los Angeles County, state officials noted.

The state has had 271,684 confirmed cases and 6,337 COVID-19 deaths up to date, according to the California Department of Public Health.