COVID-19 Hospitalizations Drop Under 1,600

36 New Deaths and 2,097 New Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) confirms 36 new deaths and 2,097 new cases of COVID-19. Of the 36 new deaths reported today, five people who passed away were over the age of 80, 13 people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79, seven people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64, nine people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49, and one person who died was between the ages of 18 and 29. One death was reported by the City of Long Beach.

To date, Public Health identified 1,416,919 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 25,434 deaths.

There are 1,593 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized, a decrease of 115 people over the past week and the first time daily hospitalizations dropped under 1,600 since August 11. These declines are welcomed news and may reflect both the decline in new cases and the likelihood that cases among fully vaccinated individuals are not as likely as cases among unvaccinated individuals to require hospitalization.

Testing results are available for more than 8,201,000 individuals with 16% of people testing positive. Today’s test positivity rate is 2.8%.

The Delta variant now accounts for nearly all the COVID-19 strains seen among samples sequenced in the Los Angeles County area. Delta variants accounts for 99% of all sequenced strains. This variant is more efficiently transmitted between people, likely due to its faster replication, higher viral load, and greater affinity for lower respiratory tract cells compared with earlier COVID-19 strains. While emerging data affirms that fully vaccinated people are well protected from severe infections with Delta variants, it now is clear that fully vaccinated people can become infected, and if infected with Delta, can infect others.

“We wish healing and peace to the families and friends grieving the loss of a loved one to COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “While we have seen small increases in post vaccination infection during this Delta variant surge, vaccinations have clearly been a game changer by offering extraordinary protection from COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.  Among the nearly 5.3 million fully vaccinated people in L.A. County, less than 1% of all those vaccinated have become infected with COVID-19, only 0.02% of those who tested positive were hospitalized, and among all fully vaccinated people, death from COVID is exceedingly rare with 0.0022% having passed away. However, because COVID-19 transmission remains high in L.A. County and because a small number of fully vaccinated people can become infected and infect others, we all need to take steps to celebrate the Labor Day holiday weekend safely, especially if you are unvaccinated.  Please continue to take COVID-19 risk into consideration when making plans and always mask up when indoors and in crowded places.  If you aren’t fully vaccinated, please follow the CDC advice to avoid all travel.  Vaccination clinics are open all across the county this holiday weekend, so if you aren’t yet vaccinated, take advantage of uncrowded clinics and get yourself protected before the fall holidays roll around.”

L.A. County continues to offer COVID-19 vaccines at many different sites across the county that have weekends and evening hours. 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. To find a vaccination site near you, make an appointment at vaccination sites, and much more, visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) and www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish). 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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