Public Health Officials Urge Full Compliance with Straight-Forward Safety Measures to Slow the Surge

27 New Deaths and 8,086 New Positive Cases of Confirmed COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) has confirmed 27 new deaths and 8,086 new cases of COVID-19.

Daily case numbers are unlike any we have ever seen in our county; because of this, activities we were able to do just a couple of weeks ago now present too much risk for virus transmission.

There are 2,988 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized and 24% of these people are in the ICU.  The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 has surpassed all-time highs every day since December 1 and has increased nearly every day since November 1.

According to the State, as of December 6, the Southern California Region has 10.9% staffed adult ICU capacity remaining.

Public Health continues to closely track the number of positive cases among healthcare workers related to the COVID-19 pandemic response.  As hospitalizations increase sharply, not only is our capacity at hospitals increasingly becoming a concern, increased cases in the community directly translates to higher case numbers among our healthcare workers.  This week, we are reporting an additional 1,745 new cases among healthcare workers. This is more than twice the number reported last week and the highest weekly number ever reported.

Testing results are available for nearly 3,930,000 individuals with 11% of all people testing positive. Today’s test positivity rate is 11.6%.  Just one month ago, on November 7, the test positivity rate was 5%.

As of last night, at 11:59 pm, the State’s new Stay at Home Order is in effect for the Southern California Region. The State Order will remain in effect for at least three weeks and prohibits private gatherings of any size, closes sector operations, limits occupancy at various businesses, and requires 100% masking and physical distancing. All residents need to stay at home except for essential activities and to provide or access essential services.  Outdoor recreation with members of your household is allowed, and we encourage you to do so during this very difficult time. Being outdoors and getting exercise is very important for both physical and emotional wellbeing. When you are out of your home, wear a face covering and keep distance of at least 6 feet at all times from anyone not from your household.  The Order also includes the following:

• Gatherings of any size are prohibited.
• Critical infrastructure, like public transportation and businesses that keep our utilities running, remain open.
• Worship services and political expression continue to be permitted outdoors, with face coverings and distancing requirements.
• Schools that have previously reopened for either high-need students or through the waiver program can remain open.
• All retail can remain open, but these businesses must operate at 20% occupancy or below at all times.  Stand alone grocery stores where the principal business activity is the sale of food may operate at 35% capacity.
• On-site consumption of food, beverages and alcohol at any business is not permitted.
• Hotel and lodging entities are not permitted to accept out-of-state, non-essential reservations are not permitted unless the reservation is for the minimum period of quarantine and that person is quarantining at that lodging.

Businesses still open include:

• Essential critical infrastructure including government, healthcare, courts, food and agriculture production, communications, and essential manufacturing
• Grocery stores, retail stores and shopping centers (all at very limited occupancy)
• Restaurants for take-out and delivery only
• Outdoor fitness facilities
• Parks and trails
• Day care and schools
• Health care facilities, including clinics and dental offices; everyone should continue to seek needed healthcare.

Businesses that must temporarily suspend operations include:

• Cardrooms
• Wineries, breweries, distilleries except for retail
• Museums, botanical gardens, zoos, aquariums
• All Personal care including hair salons, barbershops, and nail salons
• Playgrounds
• Family entertainment centers

Now more than ever, the County has asked our business partners to take extra steps to be fully compliant with the safeguards and modifications set forth in the Stay at Home Order and our existing Public Health protocols. Public Health’s compliance teams continue to visit businesses across the County every day. During Public Health’s recent business compliance checks only 59% of businesses inspected were in full compliance with required safety protocols. From November 23 through November 29, a total of 16 citations were issued to businesses including restaurants, gyms, and hotels for noncompliance with Health Officer Orders. Since the end of August, a total of 378 citations have been issued. A list of non-compliant businesses that received citations can be found online.

To date, Public Health identified 457,880 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 7,936 deaths. Upon further investigation, 57 cases reported earlier were not L.A. County residents.

“For everyone who has lost a friend or loved one to COVID-19, we are wishing you healing and peace during this very sad time,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “As we see the distressing surge in cases, we know that we can expect in the upcoming weeks alarming increases in hospitalizations and deaths. Actions taken by each of us will make or break our collective ability to prevent many people from becoming infected, seriously ill and potentially passing away from COVID-19. The new Stay at Home Order gives us an opportunity to place a pause on all non-essential activities that increase the risk of transmitting the virus so that we are able to get the surge under control.  The most important action we can all take to stop the surge is to stay home as much as possible.  Please, as we watch these numbers go up to levels we have never seen here in L.A. County, I ask everyone to make it their mission to do their part to prevent further transmission of the virus.  We owe it to ourselves and to each other.”

The University of Southern California’s Center for Social and Economic Research continues to conduct a weekly representative survey with LA County residents about their actions through the pandemic. From April, there has been an increase of people reporting they’ve recently visited another person’s home. It appears that the warnings of the surge in cases of late October and early November had limited impact on people’s willingness to visit another person’s home, with just a slight dip the week before Thanksgiving.  Throughout the month of November, about one-third of respondents said they visited someone else’s home.

Of the 27 new deaths reported today, eight people that passed away were over the age of 80 years old, 13 people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79 years old, four people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64 years old, and two people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49 years old. Twenty-three people who died had underlying health conditions including eight people over the age of 80 years old, 11 people between the ages of 65 and 79 years old, four people between the ages of 50 and 64 years old, and one person between the ages of 30 and 49 years.

Ninety-three percent of the people who died from COVID-19 had underlying health conditions. Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 7,495 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.

The 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.

Please see additional information below: