Press Release: COVID-19 is the Leading Cause of Death Across LA County with Older and Unvaccinated Residents Still at Risk of Severe Illness - 11,548 New Positive Cases and 96 New Deaths Due to COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

More LA County residents passed away from COVID-19 between March 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021 (24,947), than those who passed away from coronary heart diseases (21,513), which is historically the leading cause of death across the county. Over the same 22 months, there were 3,422 pneumonia and influenza deaths recorded, a far lower number of deaths when compared to COVID deaths. For the month of December, there were 396 deaths from COVID-19 compared to 163 deaths from pneumonia or influenza based on death certificate data. Unfortunately, despite the availability of vaccines and the dominance of Omicron, which generally causes less severe disease than prior variants, COVID-19 deaths continue to far outstrip deaths due to other respiratory illness.

As the latest surge continues to subside, older and unvaccinated residents continue being the most at risk of ending up in the intensive care unit (ICU) or even dying.

The seven-day average COVID ICU census dipped only slightly from 760 to 740 as of February 1, representing a 3% decline from the week prior. Meanwhile, among all COVID-positive hospitalized patients, 20% required ICU level care compared to 17% for the week prior, and 14% required ventilation compared to 12% the week prior.

Among COVID-19 residents admitted to the ICU, those 65 and older made up the majority at 53%; ages 50-64 were 27%; ages 30-49 were 13%; ages 18-29 were 4%; and those under 18 were 2%.

Additionally, vaccination status plays a key role in determining risk of critical illness and death. For the period ending January 22nd, residents who were fully vaccinated and had a booster were about 31 times less likely to need care in an ICU than those who were not vaccinated. Fully vaccinated individuals who did not have a booster dose were about 8 times less likely to be admitted to an ICU than unvaccinated individuals.

Data also showed that COVID-19 continues to disproportionately affect certain residents. From December 17, 2021, through January 15, 2022, unvaccinated residents ages 50-64 were over 15 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than the same age group who were fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated residents 65 and older were 24 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than those fully vaccinated.

“I send my heartfelt condolences to those families who have lost a loved one due to COVID-19,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “As our COVID-19 metrics continue to improve, it is important to plan for ‘post-surge’ approaches that can minimize COVID-19 risk after this winter surge has ended, especially for those most at-risk. ‘Post-surge’ does not imply that the pandemic is over, or that transmission is low, or that there will not be additional unpredictable waves of surges that will require integrated public health measures. Rather, it acknowledges that currently we are stabilizing with consistent declines from the surge peak and realigns our current public health response to meet current mitigation needs. I am grateful to everyone for continuing, for two very long years, to take care of each other and for taking responsibility to layer in masking and other protections that help us move closer to our post-surge phase and to less virus transmission.”

Today, Public Health confirmed 96 additional deaths and 11,548 new cases of COVID-19. Of the 96 new deaths reported today, four people were between the ages of 30 and 49, 13 were between the ages of 50 and 64, 35 were between the ages of 65-79, and 41 were over the age of 80 years old. Of the 96 newly reported deaths, 84 had underlying conditions. Information on the one death reported by the City of Long Beach and the two deaths reported by the City of Pasadena is available at www.LongBeach.gov and www.CityofPasadena.net To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 29,195.

Public Health has identified a total of 2,695,076 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 7.9%

There are 3,398 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for more than 11,107,900 individuals, with 22% of people testing positive.

To keep workplaces and schools open, residents and workers are asked to:

·
Adhere to masking requirements when indoors or at crowded outdoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status.

·
Remain home when sick, isolate if positive and quarantine when in close contact.

Residents are legally required to be isolated if they have a positive COVID test result and are vaccinated. Close contacts with symptoms and unvaccinated close contacts need to be quarantined.

For updated isolation and quarantine guidance, please visit www.publichealth.lacounty.gov

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and are recommended for everyone 5 years old and older to help protect against COVID-19. Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status. Appointments are not needed at all Public Health vaccination sites and many community sites where first, second, and third doses are available.

To find a vaccination site near you, or to make an appointment, please visit:

www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) or www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish).

If you need assistance, you can also call 1-833-540-0473 for help:

Finding an appointment, connecting to free transportation to and from a vaccination site, or Schedule a home visit if you are homebound.

For more information regarding COVID-19 in LA County you can also visit the Public Health website at www.publichealth.lacounty.gov here you will find information on COVID-19 sector protocols & best practices, COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboards, and COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive and, Recovery Dashboards.

Please see additional information below:

Cases through 12:00pm 02/02/2022
	Total Cases	NEW
Laboratory Confirmed Cases	2,695,076	11548
-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)*	2,548,563	11068
-- Long Beach	120,061	290
-- Pasadena	26,452	190
Deaths	29,195	96
-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)	27,669	93
-- Long Beach	1,142	1
-- Pasadena	384	2
Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- 0 to 4	77160
- 5 to 11	223643
- 12 to 17	220150
- 18 to 29	572473
- 30 to 49	815794
- 50 to 64	422706
- 65 to 79	162358
- over 80	52457
- Under Investigation	1822
Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- Female	1294385
- Male	1180808
- Other	921
- Under Investigation	72449
Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- American Indian/Alaska Native	4727
- Asian	145046
- Black	127210
- Hispanic/Latino	1169654
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	13243
- White	323435
- Other	281138
- Under Investigation	484110
Hospitalization (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- Hospitalized (Ever)	126765	**DATA Under reported
Deaths Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- American Indian/Alaska Native	64
- Asian	3512
- Black	2510
- Hispanic/Latino	14457
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	98
- White	6710
- Other	258
- Under Investigation	60
CITY / COMMUNITY**	Cases	Case Rate
City of Agoura Hills	3343	16008
City of Alhambra	15695	18098
City of Arcadia	7432	12868
City of Artesia	3884	23126
City of Avalon	59	1525
City of Azusa	13140	26259
City of Baldwin Park	22042	28712
City of Bell	13120	36111
City of Bell Gardens	13258	30782
City of Bellflower	22290	28674
City of Beverly Hills	7780	22538
City of Bradbury	56	5239
City of Burbank	21064	19653
City of Calabasas	3672	15097
City of Carson	24131	25713
City of Cerritos	7821	15621
City of Claremont	5718	15673
City of Commerce*	4236	32413
City of Compton	31713	31743
City of Covina	14090	28736
City of Cudahy	9531	39147
City of Culver City	6837	17150
City of Diamond Bar	8507	14791
City of Downey	34323	30039
City of Duarte	4900	22257
City of El Monte	31363	26744
City of El Segundo	2600	15489
City of Gardena	15446	25193
City of Glendale	42242	20457
City of Glendora	11169	21168
City of Hawaiian Gardens	3950	26915
City of Hawthorne	21643	24376
City of Hermosa Beach	3106	15791
City of Hidden Hills	239	12646
City of Huntington Park	21008	35317
City of Industry	358	81922
City of Inglewood	28095	24735
City of Irwindale	515	35298
City of La Canada Flintridge	2687	12985
City of La Habra Heights	159	2915
City of La Mirada	9883	19926
City of La Puente	12145	29842
City of La Verne	6779	20368
City of Lakewood	17902	22277
City of Lancaster*	48433	29976
City of Lawndale	7719	22964
City of Lomita	4038	19480
City of Lynwood*	23502	32620
City of Malibu	1921	14821
City of Manhattan Beach	4607	12798
City of Maywood	9892	35267
City of Monrovia	7804	20113
City of Montebello	18413	28603
City of Monterey Park	10714	17208
City of Norwalk	31758	29509
City of Palmdale	50819	31968
City of Palos Verdes Estates	1408	10413
City of Paramount	17975	32085
City of Pico Rivera	19912	30975
City of Pomona	49252	31586
City of Rancho Palos Verdes	4546	10635
City of Redondo Beach	9361	13627
City of Rolling Hills	176	9072
City of Rolling Hills Estates	904	11143
City of Rosemead	9999	18065
City of San Dimas*	7623	22085
City of San Fernando	10044	40809
City of San Gabriel	6902	16853
City of San Marino	1294	9746
City of Santa Clarita	51733	23470
City of Santa Fe Springs	6037	32874
City of Santa Monica	15765	17053
City of Sierra Madre	1422	12940
City of Signal Hill	2708	22955
City of South El Monte	6284	30089
City of South Gate	36416	37101
City of South Pasadena	3718	14271
City of Temple City	5770	15828
City of Torrance	21214	14212
City of Vernon	264	126316
City of Walnut	4494	14719
City of West Covina	27946	25820
City of West Hollywood	7426	20097
City of Westlake Village	256	3062
City of Whittier	22348	25560
Los Angeles	1106422	27356
Los Angeles - Adams-Normandie	2439	29737
Los Angeles - Alsace	3337	26814
Los Angeles - Angeles National Forest	6	15000
Los Angeles - Angelino Heights	583	23301
Los Angeles - Arleta	13160	38289
Los Angeles - Atwater Village	3333	22726
Los Angeles - Baldwin Hills	7002	22496
Los Angeles - Bel Air	1360	16135
Los Angeles - Beverly Crest	2189	17477
Los Angeles - Beverlywood	2809	21324
Los Angeles - Boyle Heights*	31380	36117
Los Angeles - Brentwood	5111	16511
Los Angeles - Brookside	88	15146
Los Angeles - Cadillac-Corning	1740	24435
Los Angeles - Canoga Park	19226	29448
Los Angeles - Carthay	2675	18624
Los Angeles - Central	14103	36169
Los Angeles - Century City	2150	16807
Los Angeles - Century Palms/Cove	12905	38219
Los Angeles - Chatsworth	8819	23796
Los Angeles - Cheviot Hills	1486	16203
Los Angeles - Chinatown	1853	23102
Los Angeles - Cloverdale/Cochran	3759	25830
Los Angeles - Country Club Park	3317	21890
Los Angeles - Crenshaw District	3703	26777
Los Angeles - Crestview	2666	23452
Los Angeles - Del Rey	5644	18854
Los Angeles - Downtown*	11006	40012
Los Angeles - Eagle Rock	8500	21471
Los Angeles - East Hollywood	6819	23283
Los Angeles - Echo Park	3091	21682
Los Angeles - El Sereno	12515	29934
Los Angeles - Elysian Park	1275	22321
Los Angeles - Elysian Valley	2534	24914
Los Angeles - Encino	9639	21338
Los Angeles - Exposition	912	27420
Los Angeles - Exposition Park	13361	29746
Los Angeles - Faircrest Heights	822	22833
Los Angeles - Figueroa Park Square	2906	33322
Los Angeles - Florence-Firestone	18595	39193
Los Angeles - Glassell Park	7494	23712
Los Angeles - Gramercy Place	3054	28372
Los Angeles - Granada Hills	15173	26074
Los Angeles - Green Meadows	8126	37787
Los Angeles - Hancock Park	3061	17965
Los Angeles - Harbor City	6621	22776
Los Angeles - Harbor Gateway	11604	26615
Los Angeles - Harbor Pines	439	18223
Los Angeles - Harvard Heights	4789	26554
Los Angeles - Harvard Park	14277	37635
Los Angeles - Highland Park	12190	25191
Los Angeles - Historic Filipinotown	4012	28926
Los Angeles - Hollywood	14831	21729
Los Angeles - Hollywood Hills	4841	16447
Los Angeles - Hyde Park	8693	30458
Los Angeles - Jefferson Park	2336	28936
Los Angeles - Koreatown	11678	22591
Los Angeles - Lafayette Square	1161	25466
Los Angeles - Lake Balboa	11661	27629
Los Angeles - Lakeview Terrace	4409	33572
Los Angeles - Leimert Park	3993	26209
Los Angeles - Lincoln Heights	9605	29466
Los Angeles - Little Armenia	2221	27676
Los Angeles - Little Bangladesh	6082	21459
Los Angeles - Little Tokyo	1002	31982
Los Angeles - Longwood	1231	28601
Los Angeles - Los Feliz	3472	16068
Los Angeles - Manchester Square	2281	26722
Los Angeles - Mandeville Canyon	475	15205
Los Angeles - Mar Vista	6713	15806
Los Angeles - Marina Peninsula	602	13807
Los Angeles - Melrose	18541	23864
Los Angeles - Mid-city	3190	21224
Los Angeles - Miracle Mile	3155	17542
Los Angeles - Mission Hills	9039	37469
Los Angeles - Mt. Washington	5949	24639
Los Angeles - North Hills	19152	31104
Los Angeles - North Hollywood	44128	29143
Los Angeles - Northridge	18026	25826
Los Angeles - Pacific Palisades	2997	14076
Los Angeles - Pacoima	30835	40056
Los Angeles - Palisades Highlands	564	14665
Los Angeles - Palms	7423	16918
Los Angeles - Panorama City	25927 #####