Public Health Continues Monitoring COVID-19 Variants

37 New Deaths and 2,673 New Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) continues to track variant cases in Los Angeles County. While the most dominant circulating variant in L.A. County continues to be the highly transmissible Delta variant, a variant of concern, the Mu variant, a variant of interest, is being closely monitored.  To date, Public Health has identified 167 Mu variants in L.A. County; these specimens were sequenced between June 19 and Augusts 21, with the majority of Mu specimens sequenced in July.

Mu was first identified in Colombia in January 2021 and has since been reported in 39 countries. The World Health Organization labelled variant Mu, lineage B.1.621, as a variant of interest on August 30, 2021. The Mu variant is found to have key mutations linked to greater transmissibility and the potential to evade antibodies.  More studies are needed to determine whether Mu variant is more contagious, more deadly or more resistant to vaccine and treatments than other COVID-19 strains.

Today, Public Health confirms 37 new deaths and 2,673 new cases of COVID-19. Of the 37 new deaths reported today, four people who passed away were over the age of 80, 11 people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79, 12 people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64, seven people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49, and one person who died was between the ages of 18 and 29. Two deaths were reported by the City of Long Beach. To date, Public Health identified 1,414,854 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 25,401 deaths.

There are 1,641 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized and 27% of these people are in the ICU. Testing results are available for nearly 8,200,000 individuals with 16% of people testing positive. Today’s test positivity rate is 3.3%.

“Our hearts go out to the families and friends facing the sorrow of losing a loved one to COVID-19.” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “The identification of variants like Mu, and the spreading of variants across the globe, highlights the need for L.A. County residents to continue to take measures to protect themselves and others. This is what makes getting vaccinated and layering protections so important. These are actions that break the chain of transmission and limits COVID-19 proliferation that allows for the virus to mutate into something that could be more dangerous.”

Public Health encourages everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated. Anyone 12 and older living or working in L.A. County can get vaccinated against COVID-19. Many vaccination sites across the county, including all the County-run sites, are also offering third doses of vaccine to eligible immunocompromised people. Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status.

Visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) and www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish) to find a vaccination site near you, make an appointment at vaccination sites, and much more. If you don’t have internet access, can’t use a computer, or you’re over 65, you can call 1-833-540-0473 for help finding an appointment, connecting to free transportation to and from a vaccination site, or scheduling a home-visit if you are homebound.

COVID-19 Sector Protocols, Best Practices, COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, Recovery Dashboard, and additional actions you can take to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

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