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Los Angeles County recorded thousands of new cases of the coronavirus in three days, amid a disturbing increase in cases as viral transmission increases among unvaccinated people.
It was the first time since early March that the county reported two consecutive days that more than 1,000 new cases of coronavirus have been reported.
The numbers highlight growing concerns about how the highly contagious Delta variant is spreading COVID-19 among unvaccinated people. Authorities have said those who have been vaccinated are protected.
About 59% of LA County residents are at least partially vaccinated at this point, but that leaves millions more at risk, officials said.
“We’re a big county, so the numbers are staggering in terms of who is at risk of getting infected,” Los Angeles County Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said last week.
As of Friday, 1,044 cases were reported and an additional 1,111 cases were reported on Saturday, according to a Los Angeles Times case tally. Authorities announced 1,113 new cases on Sunday.
Over the past seven days, LA County has reported an average of 756 new cases per day. This is three times more than the average number of cases for the seven-day period that ended on June 26, when 244 cases were reported per day.
Hospitalizations are also increasing. COVID-19-related hospitalizations jumped to 373 – the highest number since early May – on Friday, up about 76% from the record low set on June 12, when hospitalizations fell to 212. The daily number of reported COVID-19 deaths remains low, with an average of seven deaths per day.
Authorities said on Saturday that unvaccinated young residents transmit the virus the most. Of the new cases reported on Saturday, 70% were the youngest adults, aged 18 to 49.
“Due to the increased mixing and summer social activities and traffic of more variants … there is an increased risk of COVID-19 infection for people who are not fully vaccinated,” the department said. of LA County Public Health in a statement.
California’s average daily coronavirus cases are also on the rise. As of Saturday night, California was reporting an average of more than 2,000 new cases a day over the past week, a figure that has not been seen since April. Statewide hospitalizations reached 1,381 on Friday, a number not seen since mid-May.
“Our current trends in hospitalization and the increase in the Delta variant… infecting our unvaccinated are cause for concern,” said California State epidemiologist Dr. Erica Pan. Tweeter.
LA County continues to recommend that even fully vaccinated people wear masks in indoor public spaces, fearing that a very small number of vaccinated people could spread the virus to others.
State and federal authorities have said it is not necessary for fully vaccinated people to wear masks indoors, given the high level of efficacy of the vaccines.
Delta is now California’s most identified variant, accounting for 42.9% of cases analyzed in June, according to new figures released Thursday by the State Department of Public Health.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also estimates that the Delta variant, which is believed to be twice as transmissible as conventional strains of coronavirus, now accounts for 51.7% of cases nationwide.
Despite the dangers posed by Delta, officials stress that the available vaccines hold up well – offering high levels of protection both against infection and the more serious health effects of COVID-19.
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