Los Angeles County sees another steep rise in COVID hospitalizations as omicron surges
LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- The number of coronavirus patients in Los Angeles County hospitals rose to 1,628 on Saturday -- up from 1,424 on Friday, according to the latest state figures. Of those patients, 246 were in intensive care, up sharply from 218 the previous day.
Friday's daily positivity rate ticked up nearly a full point overnight to 22.4%, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Last month, the rate was less than 1%.
County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said she respected plans for the Rose Parade to go on as scheduled on Saturday, despite the large crowds it traditionally gathers. But she said people at high risk for virus transmission or for severe illness if they become infected should avoid attending.
"This might be the year for some people to be watching this on TV,'' she said.
Evidence suggests that only those who have recently completed their vaccination series or are boosted have significant protection from becoming infected with the highly contagious Omicron variant, according to public health officials.
"The days ahead will be extraordinarily challenging for all us as we face extraordinarily high case numbers reflecting widespread transmission of the virus. In order to make sure that people are able to work and attend school, we all need to act responsibly,'' Ferrer said in a statement.
MORE | LA County data: Unvaccinated 14 times more likely to die from COVID
More than 10,043,000 individuals have been tested since the pandemic began, with 15% having now tested positive. To date, 1,696,582 positive cases and 27,637 fatalities have been confirmed countywide.
During an online briefing on Thursday, Ferrer said, "We are, in fact, experiencing the worst of the surge at the moment with the rising number of cases.''
She said that while circulation of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19 has led to more fully vaccinated people getting infected, hospitalizations continue to be affecting primarily unvaccinated people. She said the hospitalization rate for unvaccinated people is 28 per 100,000 residents, while the rate for the vaccinated has remained relatively flat at 1 per 100,000.
"Vaccination continues to be highly protective against hospitalization,'' she said.
She said statistics show unvaccinated people are 14 times more likely to die from the virus than the vaccinated. She also noted that overall, death rates of remained relatively flat in the county, despite the dramatic surge in infections, but she said that could change.
Officials have said about 90% of the COVID deaths during the pandemic occurred in people who had underlying health conditions. The most common conditions are hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.
The city of Long Beach, which like Pasadena maintains its own health department separate from the county, also issued a statement Thursday warning of a dramatic rise in COVID infections. According to the city, average daily cases in Long Beach jumped by 1,234% during the month of December.
"While cases are rising in Long Beach, the good news is that hospitalizations are not increasing as quickly as they were last January,'' city Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis said in a statement. "This is a testament to the fact that vaccinations and boosters are proving effective at preventing severe disease. Please get vaccinated if you haven't already, and get boosted if you're eligible. Regardless of whether you're vaccinated or not, it is important to get tested if you are showing any symptoms of COVID-19, which can be as mild as a cold or allergies.''
Long Beach's Billie Jean King Main Library was closed on Thursday due to a "known COVID-19 exposure.'' Library officials said the affected areas are being cleaned, and the library is scheduled to reopen Tuesday.
