LISTING OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH PRESS RELEASES
News Release
Los Angeles County Public Health Logo

313 N. Figueroa Street, Room 806  |  Los Angeles, CA 90012  |  (213) 288-8144  |  media@ph.lacounty.gov

twitter logo instagram logo facebook logo youtube logo Spotify logo

For Immediate Release:

October 28, 2022

Getting the New Bivalent COVID-19 Booster and Flu Vaccine Can Reduce Severe Illness and Help Protect the Healthcare System from Becoming Overwhelmed This Winter - 1,220 New Positive Cases and 11 New Deaths Due to COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

With three serious respiratory illnesses already circulating in LA County, the healthcare system is likely to see an increased demand for medical care for those with severe illness. Already, ahead of a possible winter COVID-19 surge, flu cases in LA County are more than double what has been reported in October for the past five years; 11.3% of specimens from clinical laboratories in the county tested positive for influenza in mid-October, with the number of cases rapidly rising.

The higher number of flu cases has already impacted the health care system with 23% of newborn-to-4-year-olds seen at emergency departments in October experiencing influenza-like illness. The data also shows that about 17% of 5-11-year-olds at emergency departments had influenza-like illness.

There has also been an increase this October in respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, which can cause serious illness in both the very young and the elderly. Currently, 12% of lab specimens are testing positive for RSV which is higher than the peak observed during 2019-20, and on par with the peak of the 2021-2022 season. And already, 7% of emergency department visits among children newborn-4 are related to RSV, an unusually high number for October.

While we are not yet seeing a major increase in pediatric bed utilization, high levels of flu and RSV cases, coupled with a possible winter COVID-19 surge, could easily stress the healthcare system later this fall. Fortunately, there are some simple actions we can take to prevent respiratory illness: getting the annual seasonal flu vaccine and the updated COVID-19 Fall booster, washing hands frequently, staying home if you have symptoms of respiratory illness, and wearing a well-fitting, high filtration mask when indoors.

It’s also important to test for COVID-19 and if there are persistent or significant symptoms, to immediately check with a healthcare provider because they are able to provide additional tests and appropriate treatment for Flu, RSV, and COVID-19.

The flu and the updated COVID-19 Fall boosters are also readily available at Public Health sites, pharmacies, and other locations across the county; to find a site near you call 2 – 1 – 1 (LA County Info Line) or enter your zip code at VaccineFinder.org

Seniors and residents who can’t easily leave their home can contact Public Health telehealth services at (833) 540-0473, seven days a week, from 8:00 am to 8:30 pm to arrange for an at-home COVID-19 Fall booster and primary series vaccinations or transportation to a vaccination center. Insurance is not required, and callers can be assisted in multiple languages.

The 7-day average COVID-19 case count in the county is 988, a 13% increase from one week ago when the 7-day average of 874 cases was reported.

Over the past seven days, the average number of daily COVID-19-positive patients in LA County hospitals declined slightly to 389 from one week ago when the average number of daily COVID-19-positive patients per day was 404.

Deaths, which typically lag hospitalizations by several weeks, remain stable at about 10 deaths reported each day this past week.

“I send my deepest sympathies and wishes of peace and comfort to the many families who have lost a loved one from COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “It is important to remember that viruses are a part of the natural world. This is not something we can control, but it is something we can prepare for and plan around. Be aware of symptoms, stay home when you are sick, and make sure you are taking advantage of the powerful vaccines, tests, medications, and other resources that are available. Over seven million people in LA County face waning immunity from their previous vaccine and booster doses, and with few community-wide safety measures in place, more people may be vulnerable this fall and winter. Getting vaccinated for flu and boosted for COVID-19 is likely to help keep many of us out of the hospital, which could help keep the healthcare system from being overwhelmed.”

Today, Public Health reported 11 additional deaths and 1,220 new positive cases. Of the 11 new deaths reported today, one person was between the ages of 30-49, two people were between the ages of 50-64, six people were between the ages of 65-79, and two people were aged 80 years or older. Of the 11 newly reported deaths, all had underlying health conditions. To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 33,951.

Public Health has reported a total of 3,485,787 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 3.9%.

There are 407 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for more than 12,636,979 individuals, with 24% of people testing positive.

A wide range of data and dashboards on COVID-19 from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health are available on the Public Health website at http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov including:

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:

For more information:

Total Cases

Laboratory Confirmed Cases

3,485,769

-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)

3,296,799

-- Long Beach

152,472

-- Pasadena

36,498

Deaths

33,933

-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)

32,162

-- Long Beach

1,336

-- Pasadena

435

Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- 0 to 4

104,150

- 5 to 11

275,516

- 12 to 17

269,659

- 18 to 29

719,059

- 30 to 49

1,060,547

- 50 to 64

560,315

- 65 to 79

229,575

- over 80

75,596

- Under Investigation

2,382

Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- Female

1,693,231

- Male

1,515,844

- Other

1,568

- Under Investigation

86,156

Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- American Indian/Alaska Native

6,250

- Asian

236,880

- Black

169,987

- Hispanic/Latino

1,427,523

- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

16,737

- White

449,548

- Other

373,911

- Under Investigation

615,963

Hospitalization (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- Hospitalized (Ever)

157,761

Deaths Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- American Indian/Alaska Native

75

- Asian

4,083

- Black

3,008

- Hispanic/Latino

16,154

- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

111

- White

8,288

- Other

364

- Under Investigation

79

CITY / COMMUNITY**

Cases

Case Rate

City of Agoura Hills

6018

28818

City of Alhambra

22906

26413

City of Arcadia

11900

20605

City of Artesia

5467

32551

City of Avalon

66

1706

City of Azusa

16552

33078

City of Baldwin Park

27573

35917

City of Bell

16033

44129

City of Bell Gardens

16152

37501

City of Bellflower

28354

36475

City of Beverly Hills

10709

31023

City of Bradbury

67

6268

City of Burbank

29800

27804

City of Calabasas

5359

22033

City of Carson

32253

34368

City of Cerritos

11974

23916

City of Claremont

8961

24561

City of Commerce*

5348

40921

City of Compton

38282

38319

City of Covina

17880

36466

City of Cudahy

11581

47566

City of Culver City

10539

26437

City of Diamond Bar

12231

21266

City of Downey

43461

38036

City of Duarte

6727

30555

City of El Monte

39627

33792

City of El Segundo

3768

22447

City of Gardena

20261

33047

City of Glendale

55182

26723

City of Glendora

14803

28055

City of Hawaiian Gardens

4851

33054

City of Hawthorne

27369

30825

City of Hermosa Beach

4369

22211

City of Hidden Hills

370

19577

City of Huntington Park

25310

42549

City of Industry

504

115332

City of Inglewood

35517

31270

City of Irwindale

632

43317

City of La Canada Flintridge

4155

20079

City of La Habra Heights

174

3190

City of La Mirada

13013

26236

City of La Puente

15190

37325

City of La Verne

8667

26041

City of Lakewood

24604

30616

City of Lancaster*

59802

37013

City of Lawndale

9929

29538

City of Lomita

5522

26639

City of Lynwood*

28922

40143

City of Malibu

2716

20955

City of Manhattan Beach

6763

18787

City of Maywood

12210

43531

City of Monrovia

10708

27598

City of Montebello

23426

36390

City of Monterey Park

15812

25396

City of Norwalk

39603

36798

City of Palmdale

62339

39215

City of Palos Verdes Estates

2027

14990

City of Paramount

21911

39111

City of Pico Rivera

25759

40071

City of Pomona

61147

39214

City of Rancho Palos Verdes

6864

16057

City of Redondo Beach

14190

20656

City of Rolling Hills

256

13196

City of Rolling Hills Estates

1384

17059

City of Rosemead

14186

25630

City of San Dimas*

10283

29792

City of San Fernando

12054

48976

City of San Gabriel

10232

24984

City of San Marino

2175

16382

City of Santa Clarita

67747

30735

City of Santa Fe Springs

7538

41048

City of Santa Monica

24293

26278

City of Sierra Madre

2140

19474

City of Signal Hill

3723

31559

City of South El Monte

7709

36912

City of South Gate

44643

45482

City of South Pasadena

5792

22232

City of Temple City

9027

24762

City of Torrance

31104

20838

City of Vernon

346

165550

City of Walnut

6842

22409

City of West Covina

36684

33893

City of West Hollywood

10387

28110

City of Westlake Village

361

4318

City of Whittier

29004

33173

Los Angeles

1425494

35244

Los Angeles - Adams-Normandie

3017

36784

Los Angeles - Alsace

4210

33829

Los Angeles - Angeles National Forest

6

15000

Los Angeles - Angelino Heights

773

30895

Los Angeles - Arleta

15862

46151

Los Angeles - Atwater Village

4604

31392

Los Angeles - Baldwin Hills

9403

30210

Los Angeles - Bel Air

2230

26456

Los Angeles - Beverly Crest

3109

24822

Los Angeles - Beverlywood

3859

29295

Los Angeles - Boyle Heights*

38214

43983

Los Angeles - Brentwood

7839

25324

Los Angeles - Brookside

136

23408

Los Angeles - Cadillac-Corning

2226

31260

Los Angeles - Canoga Park

23831

36501

Los Angeles - Carthay

3928

27348

Los Angeles - Central

16376

41998

Los Angeles - Century City

3393

26524

Los Angeles - Century Palms/Cove

15318

45365

Los Angeles - Chatsworth

11895

32096

Los Angeles - Cheviot Hills

2333

25439

Los Angeles - Chinatown

2579

32153

Los Angeles - Cloverdale/Cochran

4900

33670

Los Angeles - Country Club Park

4505

29730

Los Angeles - Crenshaw District

4895

35397

Los Angeles - Crestview

3568

31386

Los Angeles - Del Rey

7854

26236

Los Angeles - Downtown*

15008

54561

Los Angeles - Eagle Rock

12555

31713

Los Angeles - East Hollywood

8829

30146

Los Angeles - Echo Park

4231

29679

Los Angeles - El Sereno

15983

38230

Los Angeles - Elysian Park

1705

29849

Los Angeles - Elysian Valley

3383

33261

Los Angeles - Encino

14023

31044

Los Angeles - Exposition

1200

36079

Los Angeles - Exposition Park

16904

37634

Los Angeles - Faircrest Heights

1165

32361

Los Angeles - Figueroa Park Square

3524

40408

Los Angeles - Florence-Firestone

21848

46049

Los Angeles - Glassell Park

10203

32284

Los Angeles - Gramercy Place

3841

35684

Los Angeles - Granada Hills

20021

34406

Los Angeles - Green Meadows

9617

44720

Los Angeles - Hancock Park

4386

25741

Los Angeles - Harbor City

8718

29990

Los Angeles - Harbor Gateway

14697

33709

Los Angeles - Harbor Pines

584

24242

Los Angeles - Harvard Heights

5881

32609

Los Angeles - Harvard Park

17088

45045

Los Angeles - Highland Park

16047

33161

Los Angeles - Historic Filipinotown

5044

36366

Los Angeles - Hollywood

20054

29381

Los Angeles - Hollywood Hills

7092

24095

Los Angeles - Hyde Park

11007

38566

Los Angeles - Jefferson Park

2976

36864

Los Angeles - Koreatown

15328

29652

Los Angeles - Lafayette Square

1541

33801

Los Angeles - Lake Balboa

15170

35943

Los Angeles - Lakeview Terrace

5480

41727

Los Angeles - Leimert Park

5287

34703

Los Angeles - Lincoln Heights

12030

36905

Los Angeles - Little Armenia

2857

35601

Los Angeles - Little Bangladesh

8252

29115

Los Angeles - Little Tokyo

1358

43345

Los Angeles - Longwood

1631

37895

Los Angeles - Los Feliz

5333

24681

Los Angeles - Manchester Square

2996

35098

Los Angeles - Mandeville Canyon

740

23688

Los Angeles - Mar Vista

10035

23628

Los Angeles - Marina Peninsula

903

20711

Los Angeles - Melrose

24511

31547

Los Angeles - Mid-city

4362

29022

Los Angeles - Miracle Mile

4579

25460

Los Angeles - Mission Hills

11130

46137

Los Angeles - Mt. Washington

7825

32408

Los Angeles - North Hills

23698

38486

Los Angeles - North Hollywood

55515

36663

Los Angeles - Northridge

23792

34087

Los Angeles - Pacific Palisades

4642

21803

Los Angeles - Pacoima

36730

47714

Los Angeles - Palisades Highlands

863

22439

Los Angeles - Palms

11075

25241

Los Angeles - Panorama City

31491

41849

Los Angeles - Park La Brea

2972

21885

Los Angeles - Pico-Union

15587

37252

Los Angeles - Playa Del Rey

551

17240

Los Angeles - Playa Vista

3169

28949

Los Angeles - Porter Ranch

9750

27397

Los Angeles - Rancho Park

2077

31662

Los Angeles - Regent Square

818

29424

Los Angeles - Reseda

29900

39025

Los Angeles - Reseda Ranch

1691

36475

Los Angeles - Reynier Village

1143

27034

Los Angeles - San Pedro*

24319

31163

Los Angeles - Shadow Hills

1190

26790

Los Angeles - Sherman Oaks

25467

29187

Los Angeles - Silverlake

12604

28592

Los Angeles - South



#####