Los Angeles County Reports Over 1,000 New COVID-19 Cases for 3rd Day in a Row

LOS ANGELES (KABC) – Los Angeles County reported 1,113 new cases of COVID-19 and four more deaths on Sunday – the third day in a row that more than 1,000 new cases have been reported.

Officials said the number of cases and deaths is likely to reflect the reporting delays over the weekend.

The number of people hospitalized in Los Angeles County with the virus has increased from 373 to 372, according to state figures. On Sunday, 82 people were in intensive care, against 79 the day before.

The peak of COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles is raising concerns about the spread of the Delta variant.

Federal officials have said the variant is also believed to be responsible for the majority of new infections reported in the United States – the vast majority of them among unvaccinated residents.

LA County health officials recommend wearing masks indoors amid spread of Delta variant

“All we’re seeing now are basically unvaccinated people getting seriously ill,” said Dr Anthony Cardillo, CEO of Mend Urgent Care. “Those who are vaccinated are basically protected against serious illnesses and certainly against fatal illnesses.”

The Los County Public Health Department says transmission rates are increasing among young residents. About 70% of new cases on Saturday were in people between the ages of 18 and 49.

“Then there are those who chose not to get the vaccine. These patients also need to be very, very careful and not let their guard down,” Cardillo said.

Hoping to encourage more people to get vaccinated, the county continues to offer incentives. From Friday to next Thursday, anyone who gets vaccinated at sites operated by the County, City of Los Angeles or the Well Child and Family Center in St. John’s will be entered for a chance to win one of seven prizes. concert tickets. These include Hollywood Bowl boxes and tickets to the Staples Center to see performances by Celine Dion, Grupo Firma, Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, and Dan + Shay.

Almost half of the country’s population is fully vaccinated, but the Delta variant is booming. Hospitalizations are increasing in states with lower vaccination rates.

Pfizer says it is seeing a drop in immunity levels from its vaccine. The drugmaker plans to meet with senior health officials in the United States to discuss the development of a third dose.

Dr Anthony Fauci on Sunday did not rule out the possibility but said it was too early for the government to recommend another injection. He said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA did the right thing last week by pushing back Pfizer’s claim with their statement that they did not consider the booster shots necessary “at this time. “.

Fauci said clinical studies and laboratory data have not yet fully confirmed the need for a booster of the current two-shot Pfizer and Moderna vaccines or the Johnson & Johnson one-shot regimen.

“Right now, given the data and information we have, we don’t need to give people a third chance,” he said. “It doesn’t mean we stop there.… Studies are currently underway as we talk about the feasibility of whether and when we should stimulate people.”

He said it was entirely possible in the coming months “as the data evolves” for the government to request a recall based on factors such as age and underlying medical conditions. “It’s definitely totally conceivable, maybe at some point we’ll need a boost,” Fauci said.

City News Service and Associated Press contributed to this report.