LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County’s death toll from the coronavirus has passed 2,000 even as other figures pointed to progress in slowing the spread of the infection.

The largest county in California recorded 46 more COVID-19-related deaths on Thursday for a total of 2,016.

That represents about 60% of all virus-related deaths in California. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer calls it “a very sad milestone.”

But she also notes the average recent rates of hospitalizations and deaths in the county are decreasing and one study suggests the rate of COVID-19 prevalence didn’t rise between March and April. The county has seen more than 42,000 cases.