LA County Reports 9,927 New COVID-19 Cases, 88 Deaths
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Monday reported 9,927 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases and 88 deaths, bringing countywide totals to 1,024,190 cases and 13,936 deaths.
Health officials said the number of new cases and deaths reported reflected a reporting lag from over the weekend and holiday.
Of the new deaths reported, 26 people were over the age of 80, 32 people were between the ages of 65 and 79, 22 people were between the ages of 50 and 64 and seven people were between the ages of 30 and 49.
There were 7,328 COVID-19 patients hospitalized Monday, 23% of whom were being treated in intensive care units. According to the California Department of Public Health, the Southern California Region's available ICU capacity remained at zero.
Health officials also reported that nearly 99% of all skilled nursing facilities in the county had received and administered the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to staff and residents. The remaining facilities were expected to administer first doses this week. The department said it was supporting the distribution and administration of the second doses.
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The department also reported that the positivity rate among those living and working in skilled nursing facilities was just under 4% and the proportion of deaths occurring among residents at skilled nursing facilities had dropped from 50% last summer to under 7% this winter.
"We are closer and closer to ending this pandemic, and collective action is what makes the difference in how many more people die," Dr. Barbara Ferrer, county public health director, said. "It will take a few more months before there is enough vaccine supply available and enough people vaccinated to provide us with the level of protection needed to end the pandemic."
Public Health will hold a virtual town hall Tuesday starting at 6 p.m. to talk more about the COVID-19 vaccine, how it was developed, where it will be distributed and when it will be made available to the general public. The town hall will be streamed live on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. More information about the town hall can be found online.
With testing results available for nearly 5,250,000 people, the county's overall positivity rate was 18%.
