As the holiday season swings into full gear, COVID-19 has decided to crash the party. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has reported a significant uptick in coronavirus transmission, with daily cases jumping by 80 percent from last month. A daily average of 495 cases are now being reported, an undercount since many home-test results go unreported.
Hospitals are feeling the strain, with COVID-positive hospitalizations clocking in at a daily average of 601, a leap over 65 percent since November. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health revealed that strains like JN.1, considered more adept at immune evasion, could be partially to blame.
The department also flagged a tripling of SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater - now 39 percent of last year's winter peak, compared to just 13 percent a month prior. Emergency department visits related to COVID-19 are up as well, now accounting for 4.6 percent of visits.
Health officials are pushing the public to stick to tried-and-true methods of protection as gatherings ramp up. Handwashing, quality masks, and staying home if symptomatic is the tune of the season. "Everyone is encouraged to take time to connect with those you care about while also taking common-sense precautions," states the department's latest bulletin. As for vaccines, they remain a staple in the fight against severe illness.
Test availability is on the department's radar too, suggesting hosts may want to have guests test before joining the festivities, to not jeopardize the health of more vulnerable attendees. Details on where to get tested or vaccinated in L.A. County are dished out on their website, and those in need can reach the Public Health Call Center, though it will close its lines on December 25th and January 1st.
Despite the surge, the CDC Hospital Admission Level for L.A. County is currently pegged as Low, with 6.5 new COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 people.
For more details on protection measures and the latest COVID-19 data in Los Angeles County, visit publichealth.lacounty.gov.
