LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. – A teenager has died from COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, becoming the first known juvenile in the United States to die as a result of the new coronavirus.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced the teen’s death on Tuesday, saying that it was one of three new deaths in the county from COVID-19.

“Tragically, one of the people who died was a person under the age of 18, a devastating reminder that COVID-19 infects people of all ages,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, L.A. County Public Health Director.

The teen was from Lancaster.

The other two patients who died were between 50 and 70 years old, according to the department. One was from West Adams and had underlying health conditions. Officials say the other is from a location that is still under investigation.

As of Tuesday, officials say they have identified 662 cases across all areas of L.A. County, including 11 deaths. That includes one new death reported by Long Beach on Monday.

“COVID-19 does not discriminate by age, race or income level, and what we are seeing in places like New York is indicative of what we should prepare to experience here,” said Ferrer. “While Public Health is doing everything possible to mitigate the impact of this disease in our community, we can only flatten the curve if EVERYONE takes social distancing seriously and adheres to all isolation and quarantine orders issued by our Health Officer.”

A tally by Johns Hopkins University shows that more than 2,300 cases of COVID-19 have been reported statewide in California as of Tuesday afternoon, with at least 46 deaths.

