SCV News | Friday COVID-19 Roundup: L.A. County New Cases Hit 3rd All-Time High This Week; 154 New SCV Cases

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Friday confirmed the highest number of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations reported in a day with 8,860 new cases and 2,668 people currently hospitalized.

The number of new cases surpassed Thursday’s high of 7,854 by more than 1,000 cases and is the third time this week L.A. County has surpassed the previous all-time high of new cases.

Of the 2,668 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized, 24% of these people are in the ICU. This is the fourth consecutive day the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 surpassed the all-time high; this is a doubling from two weeks ago when daily hospitalizations were 1,298.

Public Health confirmed 60 new deaths Friday countywide. The number of COVID-19 daily deaths continues to climb. Two weeks ago, the county averaged 21 daily deaths.

The SCV has now tallied 10,355 confirmed COVID-19 cases among residents — including 154 new cases reported since Thursday — and 80 deaths since the pandemic began, according to Public Health data.

To date, Public Health has counted 7,842 confirmed COVID-19 deaths and 430,583 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. county. Upon further investigation, 158 cases reported earlier were not L.A. County residents.

“To the families mourning a loved one lost to COVID-19, we send you are deepest condolences,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health.

Regional Stay at Home Order

Yesterday, the California Department of Public Health announced a Regional Stay Home Order that will go into effect and would remain in effect for at least three weeks in California regions where ICU capacity falls below 15%.

The Order mirrors L.A. County’s current Health Officer Order in many places but is more restrictive in certain areas.

The state order prohibits private gatherings of any size, closes sector operations including, in-person dining at restaurants and personal grooming services, and requires 100% masking and physical distancing. As a reminder, everyone in California must adhere to State Health Officer Orders. Counties may be more restrictive than state mandates, but not less restrictive.

“Los Angeles County continues to experience a pandemic that is moving in a direction that will cause significantly more suffering and deaths,” Ferrer said. “As case numbers and hospitalizations continue to rapidly increase, the number of individuals who will experience severe health outcomes will also increase. The best thing to do right now and in the upcoming holiday season is to stay at home and not travel. Encourage your family and friends to stay connected virtually and delay meeting in person until we are at a better place in the pandemic. Collectively, we have a chance to slow the spread and save lives.”

See current L.A. County Targeted Safer at Home Order later in this report.

California Friday Snapshot

California Department of Public Health officials did not file updated information for Friday by 7:30 p.m.

See more California info later in this report.

Screencap from the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering COVID-19 dashboard, showing COVID deaths in the United States as of Friday afternoon, December 4, 2020.

COVID Worldwide: U.S. No. 1 in Deaths, Nearing 280,000K

Worldwide, 65,702,637 people have been infected by COVID-19 while 1,515,940 people have died of the virus as of 2:28 p.m. Friday Pacific Time, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

In the U.S., more than 14,336,748 Americans have been diagnosed with COVID-19. New cases and hospitalizations continue at all-time record highs. The number of people in the U.S. who have died due to the virus has now surpassed 278,417.

With 4.25% of the world’s population (328.2 million) and more than 20% of the confirmed COVID-19 cases, the U.S. also continues to lead the world in deaths.

By comparison, Brazil (population 209.5 million) is No. 2 in deaths with 175,270, and No. 3 in cases with 6,487,084. India (population 1.353 billion) is No. 2 in cases, with 9,571,559 confirmed cases and 139,188 deaths as of Friday afternoon.

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Friday Update

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital releases complete statistics weekly, generally on Wednesdays, unless a new death occurs, according to hospital spokesman Patrick Moody.

As of Wednesday, Dec. 2, of the 12,728 people tested at Henry Mayo to date, 1,463 tested positive, 15,367 were negative, 46 were pending, 52 patients were hospitalized in a dedicated unit receiving ICU-level care (same as last Wednesday), and a total of 414 COVID-19 patients have been treated and discharged so far, Moody said.

The number of people who have died at Henry Mayo due to COVID-19 stood at 38 as of Friday afternoon.

Discrepancies in the testing numbers at the hospital are due to some patients being tested multiple times.

Privacy laws prohibit the hospital from releasing the community of residence for patients who die there; that info is reported by the L.A. County Public Health COVID-19 dashboard, which is generally 48 hours behind.

Santa Clarita Valley Friday Update

As of 8 p.m. Wednesday, December 2, the latest update to the L.A. County Public Health COVID-19 data dashboard, a total of 80 deaths have been reported among Santa Clarita Valley residents since the pandemic began, adjusting its data from 83.

Of those 80 SCV residents who have died, 66 lived in Santa Clarita (adjusted down 2), 5 in Castaic, 3 in Acton, 3 in Stevenson Ranch, 1 in unincorporated Bouquet Canyon, 1 in unincorporated Canyon Country, and 1 in Val Verde. One death previously reported in unincorporated Valencia is no longer listed on the data dashboard.

Of the 10,355 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported to Public Health for the SCV to date, the community breakdown is as follows:

City of Santa Clarita: 6,752

Castaic: 2,462 (includes Pitchess Detention Center and North County Correctional Facility*)

Stevenson Ranch: 331

Canyon Country (unincorporated portion): 264

Val Verde: 122

Acton: 134

Valencia (unincorporated portion west of I-5): 67

Agua Dulce: 64

Saugus (unincorporated portion): 51

Newhall (Unincorporated portion): 36

Bouquet Canyon: 16

Saugus/Canyon Country: 15

Elizabeth Lake: 18

Lake Hughes: 13

Sand Canyon: 7

San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon: 3

*Note: The county is unable to break out separate numbers for Castaic and PDC/NCCF because the county uses geotagging software that cannot be changed at this time, according to officials. Click here for the LASD COVID-19 dashboard.

As a reminder, the current L.A. County Targeted Safer at Home Order includes the following safety modifications:

* Gatherings: All public and private gatherings with individuals not in your household are prohibited, except for faith-based services and protests, which are constitutionally protected rights.

* Occupancy limits at various businesses; all individuals at these sites are required to wear face coverings and keep at least 6 feet of distance:

— Essential retail – 35% maximum occupancy

— Non-essential retail (includes indoor malls) – 20% maximum occupancy

— Personal care services – 20% maximum occupancy

— Libraries – 20% maximum occupancy

— Fitness centers operating outdoors – 50% maximum occupancy

— Museums galleries, zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens operating outdoors – 50% maximum occupancy

— Mini-golf, batting cages, go-kart racing operating outdoors – 50% maximum occupancy

* Outdoor recreation activities all which require face coverings (except for swimming) and distancing:

— Beaches, trails, and parks remain open; gatherings at these sites with members outside your household are prohibited.

— Golf courses, tennis courts, pickleball, archery ranges, skate parks, bike parks, and community gardens remain open for individuals or members of a single household. Pools that serve more than one household may open only for regulated lap swimming with one person per lane.

— Drive-in movies/events/car parades are permitted provided occupants in each car are members of one household.

* Schools:

— All schools and day camps remain open adhering to re-opening protocols. K-12 Schools and Day Camps with an outbreak (3 cases or more over 14 days) should close for 14 days.

* Closed non-essential businesses/activities:

— Playgrounds (with the exception of playgrounds at childcare and schools)

* Cardrooms

According to the state, as of December 3, the Southern California Region has 20.6% actual ICU capacity remaining. For more information, visit https://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/

Test Results, Contact Tracing

Testing results are available for more than 3,838,000 individuals with 10% of all people testing positive.

Anyone who receives a positive lab result or has been exposed to someone with COVID-19, should expect a call from a Public Health specialist to discuss how to protect themselves and others, how to isolate or quarantine, how to access services and providers, and to talk through other concerns or questions a case or contact may have. We encourage anyone who receives a call from Public Health to speak to our Public Health specialist. If a Public Health specialist calls, it will display on your phone as “LA Public Health” or as 833-641-0305.

It’s important if someone thinks they could be positive for COVID-19 and are awaiting testing results, to stay at home and isolate until they receive results. If the results are positive, then they will need to self-isolate for 10 days and 24 hours after symptoms and fever subside.

Public Health reminds anyone with a positive lab result who has not yet connected with a Public Health specialist to call 1-833-540-0473 for support and information about services. Residents who do not have COVID-19 should continue calling 211 for resources or more information.

More L.A. County Demographics: Age

Of the 60 new deaths reported today, 23 people that passed away were over the age of 80 years old, 14 people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79 years old, 15 people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64 years old, two people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49 years old, and one person who died was between the ages of 18 and 29 years old.

Forty-five people who died had underlying health conditions including 21 people over the age of 80 years old, 11 people between the ages of 65 and 79 years old, 12 people between the ages of 50 and 64 years old, and one person between the ages of 30 and 49 years. Three deaths were reported by the city of Long Beach and two deaths were reported by the city of Pasadena.

Ninety-three percent of the people who have died from COVID-19 to date had underlying health conditions. Hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes are the most common underlying health conditions among people hospitalized with COVID-19. Many people have multiple underlying health conditions.

Cases by Age Group (Los Angeles County only — excluding Long Beach and Pasadena)
Young people are driving the surge of the virus’s spread with disastrous results for our elderly.

In the last month, the case rate for residents age 18 to 29 years old has more than doubled, from 11.5 cases per 100,000 people to 25 cases per 100,000 people.

The second-highest group, residents ages 30 through 49 years old, has nearly doubled from 9.4 cases to 18 cases per 100,000 people.

* 0 to 4 7575

* 5 to 11 16663

* 12 to 17 20584

* 18 to 29 102180

* 30 to 49 139810

* 50 to 64 77264

* 65 to 79 30121

* over 80 12442

* Under Investigation 2667

More L.A. County Demographics: Race/Ethnicity

Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 7,402 people (99 percent of the cases reported by Public Health); 52% of deaths occurred among Latino/Latinx residents, 24% among White residents, 14% among Asian residents, 9% among African American/Black residents, less than 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other races.

L.A. County Public Health’s Reopening Protocols, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, Roadmap to Recovery, Recovery Dashboard, and additional things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

California Blueprint for a Safer Economy

Governor Gavin Newsom’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy imposes risk-based criteria on tightening and loosening COVID-19 allowable activities and expands the length of time between changes to assess how any movement affects the trajectory of the disease.

Californians can go to covid19.ca.gov to find out where their county falls and what activities are allowable in each county.

California Testing
More than 85 community testing sites offer free, confidential testing: Find a COVID-19 Testing Site.

The testing turnaround dashboard reports how long California patients are waiting for COVID-19 test results. California has worked to reduce testing turnaround times in recent weeks to help curb the spread of the virus.

During the week of November 15 to November 21, the average time patients waited for test results was 1.4 days. During this same time period, 59 percent of patients received test results in 1 day and 86 percent received them within 2 days. The testing turnaround time dashboard (PDF) is updated weekly.

All four tiers in the Testing Prioritization Guidance originally dated July 14, 2020, will have equal priority for testing.

California Demographics

Overall, for adults 18 and older, Latinos, African Americans and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are dying at disproportionately higher levels.

The proportion of COVID-19 deaths in African Americans is more than one-and-a-half times their population representation across all adult age categories. For Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, overall numbers are low, but almost double between the proportion of COVID-19 deaths and their population representation.

More males are dying from COVID-19 than females, in line with national trends.

More information is available at COVID-19 Race and Ethnicity Data.

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

Each week, the California Department of Public Health updates the number of cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) reported in the state.

As of November 30, 138 cases of MIS-C have been reported statewide, two more than the previous week.

To protect patient confidentiality in counties with fewer than 11 cases, CDPH is not providing total counts at this time.

MIS-C is a rare inflammatory condition associated with COVID-19 that can damage multiple organ systems. MIS-C can require hospitalization and be life-threatening.

Parents should be aware of the signs and symptoms of MIS-C including fever that does not go away, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes or feeling tired.

Contact your child’s doctor immediately if your child has these symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment of patients are critical to preventing long-term complications.

Protect Yourself and Your Family

California is experiencing the fastest increase in cases we have seen yet – faster than what we experienced at the outset of the pandemic and this summer. If COVID-19 continues to spread at this rate, it could quickly overwhelm our health care system and lead to catastrophic outcomes.

Protect yourself, family, friends, and community by following these prevention measures:

* Staying home except for essential needs/activities following local and state public health guidelines when patronizing approved businesses. To the extent that sectors are re-opened, Californians may leave their homes to work at, patronize, or otherwise engage with those businesses, establishments or activities.

* Following the limited Stay at Home Order that requires all non-essential work and activities to stop between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. in counties in the purple tier. The order took effect at 10 p.m. Saturday, November 21, and will remain in effect until 5 a.m. December 21.

* Staying close to home, avoiding non-essential travel, and practicing self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival if you leave the state.

* Keeping gatherings small, short, and outdoors and limiting them to those who live in your household.

* Wearing a cloth face mask when out in public

* Washing hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds

* Avoiding touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands

* Covering a cough or sneeze with your sleeve or disposable tissue. Wash your hands afterward

* Avoiding close contact with people who are sick

* Staying away from work, school, or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough

* Following guidance from public health officials

What to Do if You Think You’re Sick

Call ahead: If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough or shortness of breath), call your health care provider before seeking medical care so that appropriate precautions can be taken. More than 85 community testing sites also offer free, confidential testing: Find a COVID-19 Testing Site.

It’s important if someone thinks they could be positive for COVID-19 and are awaiting testing results to stay at home and act as if they are positive. This means self-isolating for 10 days and 72 hours after symptoms and fever subside.

If a person tests positive for COVID-19, they should plan on receiving a call from a public health specialist to discuss how to protect themselves and others, find out where they may have been, and who they were in close contact with while infectious.

California COVID-19 Data and Tools

A wide range of data and analysis guides California’s response to COVID-19. The state is making the data and its analytical tools available to researchers, scientists and the public at covid19.ca.gov.

* The Statewide COVID-19 Dashboard

* The California COVID-19 Assessment Tool (CalCAT)

* State Cases and Deaths Associated with COVID-19 by Age Group

* COVID-19 Race & Ethnicity Data

* COVID-19 Hospital Data and Case Statistics

* View additional datasets at the California Open Data Portal (including Testing Data, PPE Logistics Data, Hospital Data, Homeless Impact and more)

Consolidated guidance is available on the California Department of Public Health’s Guidance webpage.

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Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus (COVID-19):

* Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

* California Department of Public Health

* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

* Spanish

* World Health Organization

* Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Dashboard

L.A. County residents can also call 2-1-1.

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