With businesses reopening and people beginning to get back to old routines, Los Angeles County is entering a perilous phase of the fight against the coronavirus: Trying to boost the battered economy without sparking new outbreaks.

One concerning sign is that the coronavirus transmission rate in Los Angeles County — the California epicenter of COVID-19, with more than 2,600 deaths — appears to be climbing again. The increase was reported after the county allowed many retail stores, restaurants and churches to reopen with social distancing rules and as more people left their homes for parks, beaches and hiking trails.

Officials said it will take a few weeks to see if the calculated rate of disease transmission has actually increased, causing hospitals to see more coronavirus patients.

But authorities also say it is still possible to strike the right balance between reopening society and strict safety rules.

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