COVID-19USA: LA County sees major spike in cases as Gov. Newsom announces plan to house the homeless

With more than 266,000 COVID-19 cases nationwide, the U.S. is now the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. 

But while the majority of cases (over 100,000) are located in New York, the number of cases in California is quickly growing. 

Over the past 48 hours, Los Angeles County reported over 1,000 new cases, bringing the total in that county alone to over 4,000 and the overall total in the state to more than 11,000. 

Statewide, the number of coronavirus cases swelled to more than 11,300 on Friday — with the death toll topping 250.

Officials attribute the increase to a ramp-up in testing, which the New York Times explained here.

As the state braces for more cases, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a plan to convert 15,000 hotel and motel rooms into housing for the homeless.