Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass Tests Positive for COVID-19, Placing Emphasis on Homelessness Decline

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has tested positive for COVID-19, according to an announcement from her office on Friday. The mayor, who will be isolating and following public health guidelines, received her positive test result on Thursday. Zach Seidl, a spokesperson for Mayor Bass, shared that she remains in good spirits despite the diagnosis.

Bass recently reported a significant decrease in homelessness within Los Angeles, citing a 10% drop in street homelessness, the largest reduction in at least nine years. This positive news came just before her COVID-19 diagnosis. Seidl mentioned that the mayor had returned from a recent trip before testing positive for the virus.

Initially scheduled to attend a news conference in person for the 2024 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count release, Mayor Bass opted to participate remotely in light of her COVID-19 diagnosis. She also joined a Thursday meeting of Metro‘s Board of Directors through the online platform Zoom. At the time of the meeting, the mayor’s office confirmed her vaccination status and recent booster dose.