A winter increase in infections fueled by omicron led to 45,584 positive COVID-19 results in LA County on Sunday.
Testing appears to be contributing to the high numbers. This compares to 20.4% on Saturday and 22.7% on Monday in the county.
LA County Public Health said 10,317,000 people had been checked, with 18% positive.
New Cases and Causalities
The authorities said Sunday the county already had 1,967,443 infections and 27,785 deaths from the epidemic.
LA broke record for the highest Covid cases numbers in one day this month & @metrolosangeles is resuming fare collection even though the folx who take the metro are low income who are already struggling cause our gov ain’t doing shit to help. We should all just not pay shit. https://t.co/fdWi3AXStI
— Kendrick Manar (@Manarjarban) January 10, 2022
On the other hand, officials advise citizens to avoid high-risk behaviors, such as long, unmasked indoor events and overcrowded outdoor gatherings.
According to the local officials, several of the COVID-positive individuals were admitted for other reasons and only realized they had the virus following a mandatory test.
Los Angeles County set another daily record with 45,584 positive COVID-19 cases Sunday, continuing a winter surge in transmission driven by the omicron variant. https://t.co/14crxhD7BP
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) January 9, 2022
This year’s increase in COVID-positive patient hospitalizations is still significantly below last winter’s high of around 8,000.
As a result of COVID illnesses among healthcare personnel and facilities firing unvaccinated workers, hospitals are finding themselves short-staffed.
Healthcare employees must get a booster shot before February 1. They must be checked twice weekly if they are not given the booster.
More Testing and New Regulations
Gov. Gavin Newsom launched a $2.7 billion COVID-19 emergency plan on Saturday.
This plan includes a $1.4 billion proposal to increase testing capacity, speed up immunization and booster efforts, help frontline workers, enhance healthcare systems, and fight disinformation.
California’s National Guard will help offer more test sites and manpower, amid the national rise in omicron cases, Newsom stated on Friday.
At a minimum, 80% of COVID-19 infections in California are due to omicron.
There has been the epansion of the drive-thru and walk-up checking locations near 3590 E. Wardlow Road in Long Beach. Three thousand people each day will be able to use that portal.
As a result of the rising infection rates, LA County amended its public health ordinance, mandating firms to give enhanced masks to staff who work inside in close quarters.
Workers must be provided with “well-fitting pharmaceutical-grade masks, face masks, or higher-level respirators” starting January 17 if they are affected by the directive.
Under the new order, major outdoor events requiring masks now have 5,000 or more spectators, while major interior events have 500 or more attendees.
The figures match the state’s health plan. It also “advises” eating and drinking only in authorized places.
According to the county, educators and employees must also wear improved facial covers in K–12 schools.
When in-person courses start, all students and staff will be required to wear higher-grade masks.
Of almost 6.4 million vaccinated people in the county, 3.1% tested positive for the virus, while 3.3% were hospitalized.
The death rate among people who have been fully vaccinated is 0.01% (625 total). As a result of this, the testing positive rate may be artificially low.
All eligible area residents ages five and over have gotten at least one vaccination dosage, with 71% having received all three doses or more.
75 percent of the county’s 10.3 million residents have at least one dosage, and 67 percent have all three.
