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

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For Immediate Release:

January 25, 2024

As COVID-19 Circulation Remains Elevated in Los Angeles County, Vaccination, Other Sensible Precautions Strongly Recommended

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) reports that the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses remains elevated despite some COVID-19 metrics — including cases, hospitalizations, and deaths — decreasing slightly over the past week.

In Los Angeles County, wastewater concentrations of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, appear to be plateauing at a high level, with concentrations at 67 percent of last year’s winter peak for the week ending Jan. 13, similar to the concentrations for the previous week. Wastewater concentrations provide a more complete picture of COVID-19 transmission levels than reported cases alone.

Other indicators have declined but remain at heightened levels. The reported daily average of COVID-19 cases decreased to 422 this week from 462 the previous week. Reported cases do not include home test results, so the actual number of COVID-19 infections in the community is much higher. The daily average of COVID-positive hospitalizations decreased to 727 for the week ending Jan. 20, from 776 a week earlier. Public Health is reporting an average of 4.9 deaths per day for the week ending Jan. 1, a decrease from 5.6 deaths per day reported for the previous week.

Flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) also continue to spread at lower but still elevated levels in Los Angeles County. There was an average of 263 influenza-positive hospitalized patients per day for the week ending Jan. 13, a decrease from the average of 384 influenza-positive hospitalized patients per day the week before. Data from sentinel surveillance laboratories shows that for the week ending Jan. 13, 12.4 percent of specimens tested for influenza and 7.8 percent of specimens tested for RSV were positive, compared to 13.8 percent and 9.4 percent, respectively, the previous week.

Because COVID-19 and other respiratory virus indicators remain elevated, sensible precautions, such as getting vaccinated and, if sick, staying home, testing, and seeking treatment are still strongly recommended, especially for older adults and other people at higher risk for severe illness. Getting the updated COVID-19 vaccine is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. At least one dose of the updated vaccine is recommended for everyone six months and older. For more information about vaccines, visit ph.lacounty.gov/vaccines.

To help stem the spread of respiratory viruses this winter, residents should stay home when sick and test if they have symptoms or were exposed to COVID-19. Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 and have symptoms can leave isolation once they are fever free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medication AND other symptoms are mild and improving, provided they wear a well-fitting high-quality mask when around others for 10 days following symptom onset. Individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 and have no symptoms are not required to isolate provided they wear a well-fitting, high-quality respiratory mask whenever they are around other people for 10 days following their first positive test result. Other simple precautions include washing hands frequently and wearing a well-fitting, high-quality mask in crowded indoor spaces, such as airports, transit centers and venues with poor ventilation. This is especially important for residents who are at higher risk for severe illness or plan to spend time with people who are older or have underlying health conditions that can make them more vulnerable to getting very sick from respiratory illnesses. For more information on precautions against respiratory viruses, visit the Public Health website.

For free and reliable information about COVID-19 and other health-related topics, call the Public Health InfoLine at 1-833-540-0473. Specially trained staff can help residents get free vaccines and at-home test kits, secure a telehealth appointment for medicine to treat COVID-19 and, for people who have difficulty leaving their homes, to arrange to be vaccinated at home. The InfoLIne is free and available to Los Angeles County residents, regardless of their insurance or immigration status, seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Public Health reports COVID-19 data weekly. The following table shows case, wastewater, emergency department, hospitalization, and death data in Los Angeles County over the past four weeks.

Weekly COVID-19 Data Table

Metric

Date of Weekly Report

1/24/2024

1/17/2024

1/10/2024

1/03/2024

Daily average cases

422

462

483

542

SARS-CoV-2 wastewater concentration as a percentage of the Winter 2022-2023 peak concentration value3

67%

66%

60%

49%

Daily average of the percent of Emergency Department (ED) encounters classified as coronavirus-related

4.1%

4.2%

4.5%

4.5%

Daily average number of COVID-positive hospitalizations

727

776

834

786

Daily average deaths

4.9

5.6

3.7

3.4

Percent of all deaths due to COVID-19

3.5%

3.1%

3.2%

4.0%

All daily averages are 7-day averages. Data for past weeks are subject to change in future reports. Time periods covered by each metric: cases = week ending each Saturday; wastewater = week ending each Saturday, with a one-week lag; ED data = week ending each Sunday; hospitalizations = week ending each Saturday; deaths = week ending each Monday, with a three-week lag; death percentage = week ending Monday, with a one-week lag.

Case data is presented by episode date, an approximation of the date the illness began, and death data is presented by date of death. This is a change from how case and death data were presented prior to July 26, 2023, which was by date of report. Daily average cases do not include Long Beach and Pasadena. Daily average deaths include Long Beach and Pasadena for all weeks except 1/3/24. Long Beach and Pasadena are not included in the daily average death count for 1/3/24 because data was not available from CDPH due to the holiday.

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/COVIDdataincluding:

· COVID-19 Response Plan

· COVID-19 Vaccinations

· Skilled Nursing Facility Metrics

· Resp Watch: Viral Respiratory Surveillance for LA County

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

· Los Angeles County Department of Public Health:

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/

· California Department of Public Health:

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx

· Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

https://espanol.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

· World Health Organization:

https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus

· LA County residents can also call 2-1-1





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Cases through 12:00pm 01/22/2024

Total Cases

Laboratory Confirmed Cases (includes LB and Pas through 6/27/23; excludes LB and Pas after 6/27/23)

3,862,182

Deaths (includes LB and Pas)

37,257

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

- 0 to 4

118,426

- 5 to 11

285,891

- 12 to 17

280,794

- 18 to 29

773,026

- 30 to 49

1,164,444

- 50 to 64

639,216

- 65 to 79

286,750

- over 80

105,997

- Under Investigation

2,645

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

- Female

1,892,865

- Male

1,672,434

- Other

1,961

- Under Investigation

89,929

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

- American Indian/Alaska Native

6,952

- Asian

274,572

- Black

195,866

- Hispanic/Latino

1,549,306

- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

18,239

- White

514,463

- Other

424,190

- Under Investigation

673,601

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

- Hospitalized (Ever)

194204

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

- American Indian/Alaska Native

83

- Asian

4,653

- Black

3,303

- Hispanic/Latino

17,078

- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

115

- White

9,491

- Other

509

- Under Investigation

115

CITY / COMMUNITY**

Cases

Case Rate

City of Agoura Hills

6602

31614

City of Alhambra

26539

30602

City of Arcadia

14398

24930

City of Artesia

6268

37321

City of Avalon

301

7780

City of Azusa

17998

35967

City of Baldwin Park

30493

39720

City of Bell

17316

47660

City of Bell Gardens

17475

40573

City of Bellflower

31670

40741

City of Beverly Hills

12082

35000

City of Bradbury

71

6642

City of Burbank

34144

31857

City of Calabasas

6181

25412

City of Carson

36329

38711

City of Cerritos

14011

27985

City of Claremont

10757

29484

City of Commerce*

5980

45757

City of Compton

41419

41459

City of Covina

20937

42701

City of Cudahy

12422

51021

City of Culver City

12524

31416

City of Diamond Bar

14195

24681

City of Downey

48024

42029

City of Duarte

7767

35279

City of El Monte

43943

37472

City of El Segundo

4268

25426

City of Gardena

22849

37268

City of Glendale

62548

30291

City of Glendora

15705

29765

City of Hawaiian Gardens

5154

35119

City of Hawthorne

30722

34602

City of Hermosa Beach

4931

25069

City of Hidden Hills

400

21164

City of Huntington Park

26798

45051

City of Industry

1066

243936

City of Inglewood

40178

35374

City of Irwindale

911

62440

City of La Canada Flintridge

4788

23138

City of La Habra Heights

216

3960

City of La Mirada

14760

29759

City of La Puente

16373

40231

City of La Verne

9548

28688

City of Lakewood

28090

34954

City of Lancaster*

66409

41102

City of Lawndale

10965

32620

City of Lomita

6407

30908

City of Lynwood*

32059

44497

City of Malibu

3009

23216

City of Manhattan Beach

7783

21620

City of Maywood

13129

46807

City of Monrovia

12328

31773

City of Montebello

26163

40642

City of Monterey Park

18208

29244

City of Norwalk

44199

41069

City of Palmdale

68879

43329

City of Palos Verdes Estates

2397

17727

City of Paramount

23297

41585

City of Pico Rivera

28782

44773

City of Pomona

67411

43231

City of Rancho Palos Verdes

8335

19498

City of Redondo Beach

16411

23889

City of Rolling Hills

317

16340

City of Rolling Hills Estates

1668

20560

City of Rosemead

15754

28463

City of San Dimas*

11455

33188

City of San Fernando

13126

53332

City of San Gabriel

12086

29511

City of San Marino

2551

19214

City of Santa Clarita

77117

34986

City of Santa Fe Springs

8070

43945

City of Santa Monica

28064

30357

City of Sierra Madre

2569

23378

City of Signal Hill

4259

36102

City of South El Monte

8620

41274

City of South Gate

48142

49047

City of South Pasadena

6594

25310

City of Temple City

11129

30528

City of Torrance

36270

24299

City of Vernon

362

173206

City of Walnut

7835

25662

City of West Covina

40825

37719

City of West Hollywood

11703

31672

City of Westlake Village

461

5514

City of Whittier

32134

36753

Los Angeles

1577094

38993

Los Angeles - Adams-Normandie

3287

40076

Los Angeles - Alsace

4670

37525

Los Angeles - Angeles National Forest

1

2500

Los Angeles - Angelino Heights

861

34412

Los Angeles - Arleta

17376

50556

Los Angeles - Atwater Village

5248

35783

Los Angeles - Baldwin Hills

10724

34455

Los Angeles - Bel Air

2577

30573

Los Angeles - Beverly Crest

3473

27729

Los Angeles - Beverlywood

4366

33144

Los Angeles - Boyle Heights*

41328

47567

Los Angeles - Brentwood

8819

28490

Los Angeles - Brookside

159

27367

Los Angeles - Cadillac-Corning

2364

33198

Los Angeles - Canoga Park

26134

40028

Los Angeles - Carthay

4582

31901

Los Angeles - Central

17293

44350

Los Angeles - Century City

3956

30926

Los Angeles - Century Palms/Cove

16733

49556

Los Angeles - Chatsworth

13508

36448

Los Angeles - Cheviot Hills

2688

29310

Los Angeles - Chinatown

3067

38237

Los Angeles - Cloverdale/Cochran

5494

37752

Los Angeles - Country Club Park

5059

33386

Los Angeles - Crenshaw District

5559

40198

Los Angeles - Crestview

4122

36260

Los Angeles - Del Rey

8840

29530

Los Angeles - Downtown*

16600

60348

Los Angeles - Eagle Rock

14301

36124

Los Angeles - East Hollywood

9880

33735

Los Angeles - Echo Park

4619

32400

Los Angeles - El Sereno

17381

41573

Los Angeles - Elysian Park

1891

33106

Los Angeles - Elysian Valley

3681

36191

Los Angeles - Encino

15847

35081

Los Angeles - Exposition

1328

39928

Los Angeles - Exposition Park

18655

41532

Los Angeles - Faircrest Heights

1308

36333

Los Angeles - Figueroa Park Square

3903

44754

Los Angeles - Florence-Firestone

23323

49158

Los Angeles - Glassell Park

11356

35932

Los Angeles - Gramercy Place

4346

40375

Los Angeles - Granada Hills

22499

38664

Los Angeles - Green Meadows

10341

48086

Los Angeles - Hancock Park

4894

28722

Los Angeles - Harbor City

9807

33736