The hospitalization numbers were averaging about 2,000 a day last week.
Los Angeles County’s coronavirus hospitalizations continued to decline on Sunday, Aug. 9, with 1,568 confirmed COVID-19 patients hospitalized and 31% in intensive care — down from 1,610 on Saturday, and down significantly from the 2,200 level of about a month ago.
The hospitalization numbers were averaging about 2,000 a day last week. The recent trendline buoyed public health officials’ hopes that efforts to tighten up pandemic-propelled “Safer at home” rules — including shutting down bars and barring restaurants and haircutters from doing business indoors — were working.
The county reported 1,789 new cases of COVID-19 and 10 more deaths on Sunday, bringing the county’s totals to 208,528 cases and 4,977 fatalities. The lower numbers were also encouraging, but may also be the result of scaled-down weekend record-keeping.
Sunday’s update arrived as the confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. reached 5 million, the highest of any nation in the world. California attained a grim milestone of its own last week, topping 10,000 deaths — and the county will pass 5,000 fatalities in the next few days.
The LA County update included all of the current lab reports from the state’s electronic lab report system, but did not include backlog numbers from a recent glitch in the system. State officials anticipate sending the backlog of lab reports over the upcoming days.
The technical glitch has not affected the reported number of hospitalizations, deaths or other key statistical categories.
Of the new deaths reported, three people were 80 or older, two were 65-79 and five were 50-64 years old. Eight people reported underlying health conditions.
Among people who have died since the pandemic began, officials reported 49% were Latino/Latinx, 24% were White, 15% were Asian, 10% were Black and less than 1% were Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.
Sunday’s countywide results did not include updated numbers from Long Beach and Pasadena, cities that operate their own independent health departments. Pasadena reported 35 additional cases, for a total of 1,221, but added no additional deaths to its
total of 25 deaths. As of 3 p.m., Long Beach had not posted updated numbers, remaining at 8,775 cases and 181 deaths.
Countywide, younger residents continue to make up the majority of positive new cases. Of the new cases reported Sunday, 69% are under the age of 50.
“There are many people that are grieving the loss of a family member or friend who died as a result of COVID-19. We think about you every day and wish you healing and peace during this difficult time,” said Barbara Ferrer, the county’s director of public health. “As we begin to see the curve flattening again, I want to urge everyone to remain cautious and attentive to the reality of COVID-19; it is not going away any time soon. If we return to life as we knew it before the pandemic hit, we will see cases, hospitalizations and deaths increase once again. The protocols and protective measures provided by the health officer orders create opportunities for us to continue on a recovery journey — but only if they are followed.”
Ferrer urged residents to avoid parties and crowds, wear face coverings when out of their homes, maintain physical distance from people they don’t live with and wash their hands frequently.
Given the state’s past reporting system delays, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health urges any person with a positive lab result to call 1-833-540-0473
to connect with a public health specialist who can provide information about services and support.
Testing results were available for 1,932,963 individuals as of Sunday, with 10% of all people testing positive.
(LA Daily News).