Another man in Long Beach, who was over 80 years old and had underlying health conditions, has died after testing positive for the coronavirus, officials reported Wednesday, April 15. The death toll in the city is now 18.

The man was linked to a long-term care facility in Long Beach, according to a city statement.

Long Beach also reported 16 new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, on Wednesday, bringing the overall total to 379.

Among the new cases was the first confirmed case in someone who is homeless. That person, a man, is currently hospitalized, but officials could not provide more information Wednesday on whether he was living in a shelter, on the streets, in a car or in other circumstances when he became ill.

City Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis said during a Wednesday afternoon briefing that the process of tracing other individuals who have been in contact with the man is underway.

“What we’ve heard so far has been reassuring,” she said, “as far as exposure to other places in the city” is concerned.

About 190 people have recovered, and 49 people were currently hospitalized with the virus as of Wednesday.

The vast majority of COVID-19 deaths — 13 out of 18 — have been linked to long-term care facilities in the city. There have been 84 cases confirmed so far in those facilities, although some of those cases may not be Long Beach residents. City officials have not disclosed how many deaths or cases associated with those facilities have been staff members or residents, citing privacy concerns.

But officials on Wednesday also announced a new health order requiring long-term care facilities — and other locations, such as chronic dialysis centers and psychiatric health facilities — serving people 65 years of age or older, or those with underlying health conditions to limit entries to only employees, first responders, medical professionals and contracted essential maintenance workers. End-of-life visits are allowed with limitations, according to a city statement.

Staff at those facilities must also wear surgical masks at all times, while residents must wear masks or face coverings when they are outside of their rooms. Daily temperature screenings and symptom checks are also required for all staff and residents.

“Our top priority must be to protect those at highest risk of developing serious complications from COVID-19,” Mayor Robert Garcia said in a statement. “This new health order ensures that we are doing everything we can to minimize the risk of spread in long-term care facilities.”

Although cases have been officially identified at six nursing homes or assisted living facilities, Glen Park Assisted Living, which had a single case, has now completed 14 days without any new cases, officials said Wednesday.

Because of that, officials said, there are currently five long-term care facilities in the city that are linked to active COVID-19 cases. All of those locations have reported at least two cases.

In addition to those locations, Royal Care Skilled Nursing Center, 2725 Pacific Ave., announced Tuesday that two residents have tested positive for the coronavirus.

That facility has not been included in Long Beach’s list, Davis said Wednesday, because the city typically allows about two days for a site to notify families before releasing the information publicly.

COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019, is caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2. Symptoms associated with the respiratory disease, which appear two-to-14 days after exposure, include fever, a cough and shortness of breath. While the virus poses a potential danger no matter a person’s age, most people — particularly healthy young adults — will experience mild symptoms; still, the disease can have severe symptoms and, as the rising death toll indicates, prove fatal, especially among the elderly and those with underlying health problems.

When asked how the new order for long-term care and other similar facilities would be enforced, Davis said the effort would focus on “partnering and working together.”

“This really just provides a framework for all of us being on the same page,” she said. “There’s numerous best practices coming from different organizations, so now there’s one uniform guide that we all have agreed is very important in order to prevent the spread” of COVID-19.

Also during Wednesday’s briefing, Garcia said the city is beginning the work of planning to reopen the economy.

To help navigate that process, he said, the city will form an advisory group of business leaders, people in the workforce, city commissioners and others in the business community that will discuss “how we take a Long Beach approach to getting our economy moving again.”

Garcia has tapped former Mayor Bob Foster, who led the city through the Great Recession, to helm those conversations.

Although lifting restrictions on the economy will be critical, Garcia said, Long Beach will not make any moves that could jeopardize public health.

“We will not sacrifice the health of the community by jumping too soon on the economic recovery piece,” he said. “We know that’s important, and we need to do both.”