The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LADPH) announced that several additional variations of COVID-19 have been identified in the county as of Wednesday.
Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the LAPDH, noted that three confirmed cases of the Brazil variant and one confirmed case of the South African variant had been identified as of Wednesday, although there may be more unidentified cases in the general population.
“With the majority of variants identified in Los Angeles County being variants of concern, it is even more important that we take all precautions during our re-openings to limit increases in community transmission,’ Ferrer said. “Wear a mask, distance when around others in public, wash your hands, and make an appointment to get vaccinated when you are eligible.”
Public Health has identified one case of the South African variant, B.1.351, and three cases of the Brazilian P.1 variant, both variants of concern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classified the South African and Brazilian variants as variants of concern because they are potentially associated with increased transmissibility and reduced susceptibility to certain therapeutics.
Although these are the first reported cases of the South African and Brazilian variant in L.A. County, it is likely there are additional undetected/undiagnosed cases, according to the LADPH.
Among 70 specimens analyzed at the Public Health Laboratory this past week, 64 percent of the specimens analyzed were the UK variant of concern, B.1.1.7 and 20 percent were the California variant of concern identified as B.1.427 or 429, LADPH officials said.
This means 84 percent of the variants identified this past week are variants of concern with the probability of increased transmissibility and more severe disease. Three cases of the New York variant were also detected this week, which is a variant of interest. There were no cases of the Brazilian P.2 variant identified this week.
All key metrics indicate less community transmission; the rate of decrease is slowing for hospitalizations and cases.
An additional 479 COVID-19 cases and 53 deaths were reported across L.A. County Wednesday, according to officials.
This brings the county’s cumulative total to 1,223,174 positive cases of COVID-19 and 23,340 deaths since the onset of the pandemic, according to the LADPH officials.
Testing results are available for over 6,149,358 people, with a cumulative 19 percent of people testing positive, according to officials.
LADPH officials are reminding the public that people are only considered “fully vaccinated” two weeks after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
As of Monday, there were 552 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in L.A. County, 25 percent of which are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The Southern California Region has 32.1 percent staffed adult ICU capacity remaining as of the state’s last update on Tuesday, April 6, according to state health officials.
Residents are encouraged to continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19, to not gather in crowds, stay home when sick, wear a face covering and maintain physical distance from others when outside of the home.
On Wednesday, April 7, 2021, 12 new COVID-19 cases were reported in the Santa Clarita Valley, with 26,540 cumulative cases having been reported in the valley over the past year, according to the LADPH. These cases include:
- 20,052 in the City of Santa Clarita* (+9)
- 47 in the unincorporated areas of Bouquet Canyon
- 829 in the unincorporated areas of Canyon Country
- 3,697 in Castaic*
- 68 in the unincorporated areas of Newhall
- 1 in Placerita Canyon
- 15 in San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon
- 17 in unincorporated Sand Canyon
- 128 in the unincorporated areas of Saugus
- 38 in the unincorporated areas of Saugus/Canyon Country
- 1,125 in Stevenson Ranch (+2)
- 335 in the unincorporated areas of Val Verde
- 188 in the unincorporated areas of Valencia (+1)
*As of Friday, April 2, public health officials have recorded 1,985 cumulative cases have been reported at the Peter J. Pitchess Detention Center, including 1,446 at the North County Correctional Facility. Those cases are distributed between both the City of Santa Clarita and Castaic totals. Those cases are distributed between both the City of Santa Clarita and Castaic totals.
In nearby Acton, there have been 463 cumulative cases, as well as 273 cases in Agua Dulce.
There were six COVID-19 patients in Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital as of Wednesday, March 10, while 1,171 patients have been discharged since the hospital’s first case was reported in March 2020, according to Patrick Moody, spokesperson for the hospital.
One additional death was reported at Henry Mayo on Monday, March 8, with a total of 145 coronavirus deaths at the hospital, with at least 264 COVID-19 deaths reported across the Santa Clarita Valley since March 2020.
Check the Vaccinate L.A. County Website or follow @LAPublicHealth on social media for more information on when and where people in these sectors can get vaccinated.
See All Coronavirus Coverage: Coronavirus Coverage – COVID-19 Map
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