As COVID Metrics Decline, LA County Residents Are Reminded to Reduce Risk and Spread

Several LA County COVID-19 metrics Jan. 25, showed decline, including daily cases, daily case rate, positivity rate, and hospitalizations. Although these declines are a positive sign, Public Health warns residents should not take them as an indication to forgo common sense protective measures that will allow these declines to continue. Utilizing public health safety measures will drive down cases, which will ultimately end staffing shortages, reduce workplace and school outbreaks, and most importantly, keep residents from getting seriously ill and dying. 

On Jan. 11, LA County reported 34,827 new cases, two days after seeing the highest number of new cases since the pandemic began. Public Health is reporting 18,822 new cases today. While this is still a high number of cases, it represents a 46% drop in new cases in two weeks. Over the same time period, the daily rate of cases per 100,000 residents also decreased by 20% and the daily positivity rate decreased by 30%. 

Additionally, the number of residents getting seriously ill and needing hospitalization has also begun to decline. As hospitalizations lag cases, the number of people hospitalized peaked on Jan. 20 at 4,814 and have slowly declined since, with 4,554 people currently hospitalized. This decline is small and just beginning. Public Health is hopeful that with a reduced number of cases, the number of people hospitalized will continue to decrease. 

However, Public Health notes the number of people dying from COVID-19 is unfortunately increasing, as deaths typically lag increases in cases and hospitalizations. Over the past two weeks, deaths have increased by 140% from 15 deaths reported on Jan. 11 to 36 deaths reported Jan 25. Sadly, the number of people dying is expected to continue to increase for the next several weeks. 

Public Health Jan. 25, confirmed 36 additional deaths and 25,784 new cases of COVID-19. Of the 27 new deaths reported, one person was between the ages of 18 and 29, three people were between the ages of 30 and 49, four were between the ages of 50 and 64, eight were between the ages of 65-79, and 15 were over the age of 80 years old. Of the 36 newly reported deaths, 25 had underlying conditions. Information on the five deaths reported by the City of Long Beach is available at www.LongBeach.gov To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 28,540. 

Public Health has identified a total 2,540,075 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. The Jan. 25 positivity rate is 13.8%. 

There are 4,554 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for more than 10,928,600 individuals, with 21% of people testing positive.   

Details: www.publichealth.lacounty.gov