The Los Angeles Post

As BA.2 Subvariant Increases in LA County, Getting Boosted and Following All Safety Measures Can Protect Residents at Elevated Risk

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1,355 New Positive Cases and 13 New Deaths Due to COVID-19 in Los Angeles County 

As BA.2 is now the predominant subvariant in LA County and across the world, getting boosted and following all safety measure are critical to protecting residents at elevated risk.

The BA.2 subvariant now accounts for 67% of sequenced specimens in the County for the week ending March 26. This highly infectious subvariant has also been identified in 86% of cases across the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and it accounts for 92% of global cases.

With BA.2 now the predominant subvariant, over the past week, LA County continued to see the same pattern as last week, with cases increasing, and hospitalizations and deaths remaining stable. The average number of daily new cases reported over the last seven days increased to 1,030 compared to the 892 reported last week, an increase of 15%. Today, our daily test positivity rate has also increased, but remains relatively low, at around 2.4%.

Being fully vaccinated and boosted continues to offer strong protection against COVID-19, but many residents still need their first round of vaccines and boosters. As of April 10, 75% percent of residents ages 5 and older are fully vaccinated, while just 43% of residents ages 12 and older are fully vaccinated and have had at least one booster dose.

With waning immunity associated with both vaccinations and boosters, it is essential that residents be fully vaccinated, boosted, and if eligible, get a second booster. Public Health is encouraging residents to consider their personal and family’s risk when making decisions about precautions such as masking, gathering, getting tested, and getting vaccinated or boosted.

“I send my deepest sympathies and wishes of peace and comfort to the many families who have lost a loved one due to COVID-19,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “The emergence of the BA.2 subvariant is an important reminder that the more infections we have, the more chances there are for new variants to emerge, which is another reason why it remains important to take safety precautions. We should all try our best to lower the risk to ourselves, family members, neighbors, and communities from COVID-19. This is especially critical if you’re at increased risk for severe illness. Those with higher levels of risk should take more precautions, including considering always wearing a mask in indoor public settings, being strategic about attending indoor gatherings or events, especially if you don’t know other people’s vaccination status, getting tested before and after gatherings, and getting vaccinated or boosted if you haven’t done so already.”

Today, Public Health reported 13 additional deaths and 1,355 new positive cases of COVID-19. Of the 13 new deaths reported today, two people were between the ages of 30-49, three people were between the ages of 50-64, four people were between the ages of 65-79, and three people were aged 80 years or older. Of the 13 newly reported deaths, 10 people had underlying health conditions. To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 31,852.

Public Health has reported a total of 2,850,480 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 2.4%.

There are 228 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for more than 11,777,000 individuals, with 22% of people testing positive.

A wide range of data and dashboards on COVID-19 from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health are available on the Public Health website at http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov including:

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:

For more information:

Total Cases

Laboratory Confirmed Cases

2,850,480

— Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)*

2,696,368

— Long Beach

125,748

— Pasadena

28,364

Deaths

31,852

— Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)

30,178

— Long Beach

1,262

— Pasadena

412

Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

– 0 to 4

82852

– 5 to 11

239711

– 12 to 17

234032

– 18 to 29

600934

– 30 to 49

860128

– 50 to 64

446494

– 65 to 79

173612

–  over 80

56495

–  Under Investigation

2110

Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

–  Female

1371332

–  Male

1249263

–  Other

1098

–  Under Investigation

74675

Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

–  American Indian/Alaska Native

4954

–  Asian

166016

–  Black

135323

–  Hispanic/Latino

1230381

–  Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

13644

–  White

347943

–  Other

299051

–  Under Investigation

499056

Hospitalization (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

–  Hospitalized (Ever)

136,781

Deaths Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

–  American Indian/Alaska Native

73

–  Asian

3765

–  Black

2795

–  Hispanic/Latino

15516

–  Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

111

–  White

7510

–  Other

312

–  Under Investigation

96