Los Angeles County has reported the highest one-day case increase on Thursday since the beginning of the pandemic.
On Thursday, 5,031 Los Angeles County coronavirus cases were confirmed bringing the countywide total to 353,232 according to the Department of Public Health.
Dr. Muntu Davis, the Los Angeles County health officer, said the county is currently experiencing a larger coronavirus surge than the summer spike in cases seen in July.
Davis added that an increase in testing is not the only factor in the surge in cases, with an increase in community spread occurring across the county.
If the numbers remain high, a “Safer at Home” curfew for residents could be implemented as soon as Sunday, Davis said adding it is based on the five-day average in cases.
If the case average rises above 4,500, or hospitalizations are more than 2,000 per day, the county could impose a true curfew via “Safer at Home” order for at least three weeks, limiting business operations and resident activity between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., with essential workers exempt.
Starting Friday, restrictions are in place for restaurants and “non-essential” businesses from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., however, residents are still able to go outside their homes during those times.
See Related: Los Angeles County Curtailing Hours For Restaurants, Non-Essential Businesses
Davis urged residents to participate in a “staycation” rather than travel in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the community.
The health officer further encouraged residents to have virtual holiday celebrations and not gather in groups with those outside the household.
Davis discussed the comparison between seasonal influenza and COVID-19, with coronavirus casing over double the deaths of the flu in L.A. County.
29 additional deaths were reported Thursday, bringing the cumulative total in L.A. County to 7,363 deaths, according to public health.
Over 3,473,000 coronavirus tests have been conducted as of Thursday, with about 9 percent of those tests returning positive.
There are 1,238 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Thursday, 27 percent of which are in the ICU. This week’s hospitalizations are the highest it has been in nearly two months, and nine days showing an increase in hospitalizations, according to public health.
On Thursday, 133 new cases were reported in the Santa Clarita Valley, with a total of 8,452 cumulative cases of COVID-19 since testing began in March. These include:
- 5,423 in the City of Santa Clarita* (+120)
- 198 in the unincorporated areas of Canyon Country (+2)
- 2,298 in Castaic* (+10)
- 46 in the unincorporated areas of Saugus (+1)
- 256 in Stevenson Ranch (+7)
- 59 in the unincorporated areas of Valencia (+2)
- 113 in the unincorporated areas of Val Verde
- 31 in the unincorporated areas of Newhall
- 16 in the unincorporated areas of Bouquet Canyon (+1)
- 12 in the unincorporated areas of Saugus/Canyon Country
- Seven in unincorporated Sand Canyon
- Three in unincorporated San Francisquito Canyon/Bouquet Canyon
Additionally, 98 cumulative cases were confirmed in nearby Acton as well as 54 in Agua Dulce. It should be noted that L.A. County Health reported 55 cumulative cases in Agua Dulce the on Wednesday.
An update on the Santa Clarita Valley cases is expected to be released Thursday afternoon.
*As of Wednesday, Nov. 18 officials have recorded 1,895 cumulative cases have been reported at the Peter J. Pitchess Detention Center, including 1,373 at the North County Correctional Facility. Those cases are distributed between both the City of Santa Clarita and Castaic totals.
An analysis of available data indicates that as of Wednesday, Nov. 18, approximately 22.8 percent of all cumulative cases in and around the Santa Clarita Valley can be attributed to the inmate population at the North County Correctional Facility and the Pitchess Detention Center.
As of Wednesday, Nov. 18, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital has conducted 11,502 COVID-19 tests. Of those, 1,188 have tested positive, and 10 tests are still pending with Henry Mayo, according to Patrick Moody, spokesperson for the hospital.
There are 20 patients in the hospital as of Wednesday, Nov. 18 while 348 patients have been discharged since the hospital’s first case was reported in March, according to Moody
There have been a total of 35 coronavirus deaths at the hospital, with at least 80 COVID-19 deaths reported across the Santa Clarita Valley.
See All Coronavirus Coverage: Coronavirus Coverage – COVID-19 Map
Ed. Note: These numbers are subject to change based on further investigation by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or send an email to newstip@hometownstation.com. Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking KHTS Santa Clarita News Alerts delivered right to your inbox. Report a typo or error, email Corrections@hometownstation.com
KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
No comments:
Post a Comment