[ad_1]
On Friday, health officials announced 3,006 new cases of coronavirus in Los Angeles County and 23 additional virus-related deaths — and urged seniors to take special precautions this holiday season against the spread of the virus.
A day after the county exited the federal government’s “high” COVID-19 activity category and moved to the “medium” level, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health warned Friday that “rates mortality … continue to climb in Los Angeles County, especially among the elderly.
Of the 23 new deaths reported on Friday, 14 were people aged 80 or over, while six were between 65 and 79, one between 50 and 64 and one between 30 and 49 – all with health conditions under underlying, the health department told me.
Meanwhile, according to state figures, 1,201 people with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized in Los Angeles County, up from 1,256 on Thursday. The county’s seven-day average daily test positivity rate on Friday was 10.22% – down from 11.7% on Thursday, and about the same as the 10.2% figure from a week ago
Friday’s case rate was 177 per 100,000 people – down from Thursday’s average of 180 per 100,000 and 204 per 100,000 a week ago.
“Public health officials are concerned that travel and gatherings during the holidays could lead to increased transmission and serious illnesses that would put increased pressure on hospitals and the county’s health care system,” the Department of Health said. health in a press release.
Figures announced Thursday dropped the county below the 200 per 100,000 population threshold for the “high” community activity level set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Still, the county’s health department warned on Friday that people should be careful at holiday gatherings and wear “diapers” to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, especially for the elderly, as well as for limit additional stress on healthcare providers and hospitals.
“To help protect the elderly and those who are immunocompromised or have underlying health conditions in your family, workplace and community, Los Angeles County residents should continue to mask up when out and about. indoors and follow other health measures,” the health said. says the department.
“Having plenty of well-fitting, high-filtration masks on hand, preferably N95s, KN95s, or KF94s, will help limit transmission.”
Vaccines remain the best protection against serious COVID-19 illnesses, the agency said, adding that everyone who is eligible — including now eligible children 6 months or older — should receive the new bivalent vaccine.
“In addition to wearing masks indoors and getting the updated reminder, there’s still time to get your seasonal flu shot because flu season typically lasts well into spring,” said the health department.
“When choosing activities or planning an event, it also makes sense to look for outdoor options. If it doesn’t work being outdoors, open windows and doors to increase indoor ventilation.
On Thursday, County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said the county over the past week has averaged about 2,600 new COVID infections per day, down about 12% from 3,000 per day the previous week. Despite the decline, she stressed that “transmission remains high” in the county, noting again that the official number of cases is undercounted due to the widespread use of home tests – the results of which are not released. to the county – and due to people not getting tested at all.
Moving from the “high” category to the “medium” category will have no impact on public health restrictions, although it does reduce the likelihood that the county will reimpose an indoor mask mandate, which Ferrer had previously stated could be done if case rates and the number of hospitalizations continued to rise.
Ferrer warned on Thursday, however, that given continued high transmission, “if the case rate increases even a little, we would be moved to ‘high’ again.”
“LA County may continue to swing back and forth between ‘medium’ and ‘high’ over the next few weeks,” she said.
Mask-wearing continues to be “strongly recommended” by the county in indoor public places. But Ferrer said even without a warrant, residents should start wearing them, given the high rate of transmission.
Masks are still compulsory inside health and collective care establishments, for anyone exposed to the virus in the last 10 days and in businesses where they are required by the owner.
Ferrer said the county averaged 178 new COVID-related hospital admissions per day Thursday, down about 10% from a week ago, but she said the number was still down. its highest level since April, even higher than during the summer surge. in infections.
The number of staffed hospital beds available in the county, meanwhile, continues to remain at its lowest level in four years, averaging 210 during the month of December. She said the availability of beds is influenced by both the number of patients and the staffing level of the hospital.
“With higher rates of respiratory disease, many staff are getting sick themselves,” she said.
She noted that the vast majority of deaths are in people aged 70 and over, reflecting the population that is also hospitalized with the virus at the highest levels.
Health officials have estimated that around 40% of patients with the virus have been admitted for actual COVID-related conditions, while others have been hospitalized for other reasons, with many only learning they have were infected on admission.
|
Sources 2/ https://mynewsla.com/government/2022/12/23/la-county-reports-3006-new-covid-cases-23-more-virus-related-deaths/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
[ad_2]