LOS ANGELES (CNS) — The Los Angeles Police Department has seen a decline in COVID-19 cases since last month’s surge, which Police Chief Michel Moore described as an encouraging sign at a Police Commission meeting Tuesday.

There were 259 employees out with COVID-19 as of Saturday, according to Moore. That was down from 474 on July 26, the last time statistics were updated.

The department saw 217 new positive cases since July 26, with 150 cases among sworn officers and 67 in civilian ranks.

No employees are currently hospitalized due to a COVID-19 infection, according to Moore.

At the July 26 meeting, Moore said a third of personnel who were out sick with COVID-19 had been absent from work for more than 14 days — considered long-haul cases. That figure is now down to 7%, or 18 out of 259 infections. Those employees are being given added medical attention, according to Moore.

The department has seen significant return in employees returning to duty over the last week, which Moore attributed to an overall decrease in cases over the last five weeks. The average return rate from a positive test among LAPD personnel is at nine days since the beginning of this year.

“I’m encouraged by the recent decline of all the numbers, but this is still a persistent threat to safety of our personnel, as well as their families and others,” Moore said.