LA County sees a record number of COVID cases on the last day of 2021 – NBC Los Angeles

The Los Angeles County Public Health Service reports a record number of new COVID-19 cases on Friday as hospitalizations continue to increase — 27,091-.

The number of patients at the county hospital on Friday was 1,464, an increase of 99 from the previous day. Of these, 218 were in the intensive care unit, an increase of 4 from Thursday.

Friday’s daily positive rate rose almost full points overnight to 22.4%. Last month, that percentage was less than 1%.

On Thursday, county public health director Barbara Ferrer and county supervisor Holly Mitchell urged residents to be cautious when celebrating New Year’s Eve, saying “the risk of viral infections is higher than ever in our county.” It has become. “

She encouraged people to avoid large gatherings and gather outside as much as possible. She said that people in underlying health or unvaccinated should avoid the rally altogether.

Mr. Feller said the Rose Parade has traditionally respected plans to go on schedule on Saturday, despite the large crowds. However, she said that people at high risk of viral infection or serious illness if infected should avoid participation.

“This year may be the year some people are watching this on TV,” she said.

According to public health officials, there is evidence that only those who have recently completed the vaccination series or received booster immunization can prevent infection with the highly contagious Omicron variant.

“The days ahead are very difficult for all of us because we are faced with a very large number of cases, reflecting the spread of the virus. To get people to work and go to school, We all need to act responsibly, “Feller said. In the statement.

“Because explosive infections can continue in the coming weeks, all efforts now need to focus on protecting the medical system from overwhelming. Most of the hospitals with serious COVID illnesses. People have not been vaccinated, so people who have not yet been vaccinated or boosted should stay as close as possible to avoid getting infected or infecting others.

“And vaccines and boosters continue to provide excellent protection against serious illness and death, but the ones most vulnerable to serious consequences when infected (under 5 years of age who are not yet vaccinated). (Including children) need to be surrounded by an additional layer of protection, including wearing a high-quality mask that fits snugly around others and limiting unnecessary activities, “Feller said. Says.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, more than 10,043,000 individuals have been tested and 15% are currently tested positive. To date, 1,696,582 positive cases have been identified, with a cumulative total of 27,637 deaths due to 12 new deaths on Friday.

“In fact, we are experiencing the worst surge at this point as the number of cases grows,” Feller said in an online briefing on Thursday.

She became infected with more fully vaccinated people due to the circulation of highly infectious Omicron variants of COVID-19, but hospitalization primarily affected unvaccinated people. He said he was continuing. She said the hospitalization rate for unvaccinated people was 28 per 100,000 inhabitants, while the vaccination rate was relatively flat at 1 per 100,000.

“Vaccination remains very protective against hospitalization,” she said.

She shows that, according to statistics, unvaccinated people are 14 times more likely to die of the virus than vaccinated people. She also said that the county-wide mortality rate was relatively flat, despite the dramatic surge in infectious diseases, but that could change, she said.

“Fortunately, the death toll is low and unchanged, because it’s only been about a week since hospitalizations began to increase,” she said.

Authorities say that about 90% of COVID deaths during a pandemic occurred in people with underlying illness. The most common conditions are high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.

“We have an urgent need to protect more people with boosters,” she said.

The city of Long Beach, which maintains its own health sector separate from the county, such as Pasadena, also issued a statement on Thursday warning of a dramatic increase in COVID infections. According to the city, the average daily number of cases in Long Beach increased by 1,234% during December.

“The number of cases is increasing on Long Beach, but the good news is that hospitalizations haven’t increased as rapidly as last January,” City Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis said in a statement. “This is evidence of the fact that vaccination and boosting are effective in preventing serious illness. Get vaccinated if you haven’t already been vaccinated, and boost if you are eligible. It is important to be tested if you have mild COVID-19 symptoms, such as a cold or allergy, regardless of whether you have been vaccinated. “

The Billie Jean King Main Library in Long Beach was closed on Thursday due to “known COVID-19 exposure”. The affected area is being cleaned and will resume on Tuesday, according to library officials.