A decision if indoor masking will return to L.A. County is expected Thursday, but a mutiny of sorts seems afoot.
Several cities - Beverly Hills, El Segundo, Pasadena and Long Beach -- have already announced they won't enforce an indoor mask mandate if one is implemented.
L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer has said the mandate will be imposed if the county remains in the "high" virus-activity level -- as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- for two consecutive weeks. The county will reach that two-week threshold on Thursday.
Will LA County mask mandate return this week? Here's why it might not
Will LA County's indoor mask mandate return this week? Here's why it might not
It looked extremely likely indoor masking would return until recently when COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalizations showed signs of stabilizing.
Ferrer said Tuesday that given the steady declines that have been recorded in virus metrics over the past week and a half, "We may be positioned to pause the implementation of universal masking." Such a determination will not be made until Thursday, when updated hospital admission rates are released.
The county moved into the "high" category when the average daily rate of new COVID-related hospital admissions reached a rate of 10 per 100,000 residents. As of last Thursday, the county's rate was up to 11.7 per 100,000 residents.
The city of El Segundo added its name to the list of local cities that will decline to enforce an indoor mask rule if it is implemented. The council voted during a special meeting Tuesday night against enforcing a possible mask order.
The Beverly Hills City Council cast a similar vote Monday night, saying it will not enforce any new mask mandate. The cities of Long Beach and Pasadena -- both of which operate their own health departments separate from the county -- announced Tuesday they will not issue mask mandates, even if the county does.
According to state figures, there were 1,280 COVID-positive patients in county hospitals as of Wednesday, down from 1,286 on Tuesday. Of those patients, 137 were being treated in intensive care, up from 134 a day earlier.
The 7,316 new COVID cases reported Wednesday, raised the cumulative total from throughout the pandemic to 3,279,517. The 20 deaths lifted the overall death toll to 32,674.
The average daily rate of people testing positive for the virus was 16.2% as of Wednesday.
City News Service contributed to this report.