The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health or Public Health Jan. 4, confirmed 77 new deaths and 9,142 new cases of COVID-19. The number of new cases and deaths reported reflects reporting delays over the New Year’s holiday weekend.
To date, Public Health identified 827,498 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 10,850 deaths.
In slightly more than a month, Los Angeles County doubled the number of people who tested positive for COVID-19, going from 400,000 cases on November 30 to over 800,000 cases on Jan. 2, and since Nov. 1, cases have increased by 905%.
There are 7,697 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized and 21% of these people are in the ICU. When this surge began in early-November, there was an average of 791 people hospitalized daily with COVID-19. On January 2, just two days ago, the three-day average number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 was at a staggering 7,623 patients.
For the near future, based on all the travel and intermingling witnessed over the holiday, L.A. County is likely to experience increases in cases associated with the winter holidays. With the average number of new daily COVID-19 cases anticipated to once again reach 15,000, L.A. County could experience, two weeks from now, 8,500 people hospitalized each day, and a week or two later, daily deaths rising to 175.
Given that in January, LA is likely to experience the worst conditions the county has faced the entire pandemic, Public Health urges everyone to take personal responsibility and do your part to stop the surge; the numbers of hospitalizations and deaths do not go down until the number of new cases decreases. Everyone should stay home whenever possible. The fewer interactions you have, the less this deadly virus finds so many hosts and keeps spreading at a pace that wreaks havoc in every sector. Staying home in January will help stop the surge and save lives.
L.A. County continues to experience increases in cases among healthcare workers. Since the pandemic began, 28,448 healthcare workers and first responders tested positive for COVID-19.
Vaccinations are proceeding throughout Los Angeles County as Public Health continues to build capacity. As of Jan. 2, the county received 189,995 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 96,390 doses had been administered to frontline healthcare workers at acute care hospitals. On Jan. 2, the County received 81,571 Moderna doses, of which 22,221 were administered to staff and residents at skilled nursing facilities as well as EMT’s and paramedics.
The next Pfizer allocation, 82,745 doses, coming this week, will primarily be used to administer second doses to the first group of healthcare workers vaccinated in mid-December. We also are expecting to receive 50,700 Moderna doses, which will be administered primarily to priority groups within Tier 2 of Phase 1A. Tier 2 includes healthcare workers at urgent care and primary care clinics, home healthcare workers and healthcare field workers who face a high risk of exposure.
Everyone needs to keep in mind that community transmission rates are so high that you run the risk of an exposure whenever you leave your house. Assume this deadly, invisible virus is everywhere, looking for a willing host. Don’t let that be you or someone you care about. If you are going to work or to buy groceries or medicine, take every precaution possible. Try to never remove your face covering when near others, and avoid eating or drinking with anyone not in your household. Wash or sanitize your hands every hour if you are around others. Avoid any non-essential activity; Public Health suggests you take a break from shopping, avoid any type of gathering, and exercise by yourself or with members from your household. Currently, more than one in five people who get tested are positive, and this helps explain why there is so much risk when you socialize with people you don’t live with.