LA County sees substantial drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations – nearly 100 from previous day

The fig of coronavirus patients successful Los Angeles County hospitals fell by astir 100 connected Saturday, Sept. 11, the 12th consecutive time that the full has declined.

There were 1,226 hospitalized COVID patients successful region hospitals arsenic of Saturday, down from 1,321 the erstwhile day, according to authorities figures. The fig of those patients successful intensive attraction dropped from 387 to 368.

The region volition not study regular COVID-19 lawsuit and decease numbers Saturday oregon Sunday, with officials saying the wellness section volition beryllium moving connected upgrades to its information processing systems. The information volition inactive beryllium collected, however, and volition beryllium reported aboriginal adjacent week.

On Friday, the section reported 50 coronavirus-related deaths and 2,024 caller cases of COVID-19, bringing the county’s totals to 1,427,817 cases and 25,611 fatalities since the pandemic began.

However, officials besides said Los Angeles County has seen 3 consecutive weeks of diminution successful its play corruption rate, an betterment the nationalist wellness manager attributed successful portion to disguise mandates and dilatory rising vaccination numbers.

Under benchmarks acceptable by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, transmission is considered successful the “high” class if determination are cumulatively 100 oregon much caller cases per 100,000 residents implicit the people of a week. Much of the state is presently successful the “high” transmission category.

Los Angeles County’s rate, however, fell this week to 104 cases per 100,000, a “welcome” 35% driblet from past week, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.

“This is the 3rd week successful a enactment we’ve seen decreases successful our lawsuit rate,” Ferrer said. “Overall, we’ve seen a astir 50% alteration from our highest of 204 cases per 100,000 radical connected Aug. 19. It’s worthy noting that caller declines whitethorn bespeak the masking requirements implemented aboriginal successful the surge and the tiny increases successful our vaccination coverage.

“Other parts of the state that don’t person masking requirements and don’t person arsenic overmuch vaccination sum person not seen these important declines successful cases,” she said.

If the county’s complaint continues to alteration and falls beneath 100 caller cases per 100,000 residents implicit a seven-day period, it could determination into the CDC’s less-severe “substantial” transmission category.

But Ferrer warned that a reversal of luck could inactive occur.

“While we invited the decreases, we bash expect that with accrued regular screening investigating and intermingling astatine schools and worksites, on with Labor Day question and gatherings, we bash look the hazard that our lawsuit numbers could erstwhile again increase,” she said.

Ferrer besides again lamented the dilatory gait of vaccinations successful the county. She said implicit the past week lone astir 56,000 archetypal doses were administered successful the county.

“We are making precise small progress,” she said.

Ferrer expressed anticipation that vaccination mandates similar those announced Thursday by the Los Angeles Unified School District for eligible students 12 and implicit and by President Joe Biden for workers astatine ample companies volition person an impact.

Of the astir 5.4 cardinal afloat vaccinated radical successful the region arsenic of Sept. 7, 43,598 had tested positive, for a complaint of 0.81%, she said. A full of 1,243 afloat vaccinated radical person been hospitalized, for a complaint of 0.023% and 165 person died, for a complaint of 0.0031%.

According to the astir caller numbers, 75% of eligible region residents aged 12 and implicit person received astatine slightest 1 dose of vaccine, and 66% are afloat vaccinated. Among the county’s wide colonisation of 10.3 million, 65% person received 1 dose and 57% are afloat vaccinated. That colonisation fig includes astir 1.3 cardinal radical nether property 12 who are ineligible for shots.

Black residents successful the region proceed to person the lowest vaccination rate, astatine 51% wide with astatine slightest 1 dose. Among Black residents aged 12-15, conscionable 35% person received astatine slightest 1 dose.

The mean regular complaint of radical investigating affirmative for the microorganism successful the region was 2.6% arsenic of Friday, down somewhat from the erstwhile Friday.

The region past week announced that it had identified 167 instances of the Mu variant of COVID-19 locally. But Ferrer said Friday that a laboratory reanalyzed samples dating backmost respective months, and determined determination person really been 232 cases of the Mu variant locally, on with 28 instances of the Lambda variant.

While the Mu variant has raised eyebrows implicit concerns it could perchance evade vaccines, it has not yet risen to the level of being considered a “variant of concern” by wellness officials. Ferrer said the highly infectious Delta variant is inactive the biggest threat, representing astir 100% of each samples that acquisition familial sequencing to place variants.