Henry Mayo reports another COVID-19 death

Total number of cases in county surpasses 38K

L.A. County Department of Public Health officials reported more than 470 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, which brought the countywide total to 38,451, as the Santa Clarita Valley tally reached at least 959, with four new cases and one additional death.

The addition of new confirmed cases was far smaller than those reported Saturday and Sunday due to testing labs being closed over the weekend, according to Dr. Barbara Ferrer, the county’s Public Health director.

Over the weekend, a total of 1,767 new cases were tallied and 69 new deaths countywide. In the SCV, the overall count increased by 23 cases on Saturday and 14 on Sunday. The death toll increased by one for a total of 18 in the SCV as of Monday.

Countywide, Public Health reported 18 new deaths Monday, which brought the overall tally to 1,839. Of those who died, 92% had underlying health conditions, a figure Ferrer highlighted as the county continues to gradually reopen.

“Now that we’re in the early stages of our recovery journey, and there are more people out of their homes, it means that there could be more infected people that are out and about. So, if you’re a person with an underlying health condition, this would be the time for you to continue to stay home as much as possible,” said Ferrer.

On Monday, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital reported its eighth death at the hospital but that single tally has not yet been reflected on Public Health’s current report of 17. On Friday, Public Health provided a geographical breakdown of COVID-19 deaths in the SCV, with 15 in Santa Clarita, one in Acton and one in Castaic. Of that count, four were attributed to Oakmont of Santa Clarita and five with Oakmont of Valencia.

Countywide, 52% of all COVID19-related deaths occurred among people who resided in skilled nursing facilities. Of the confirmed 9,909 cases in institutional settings, 6,452 were among residents and 3,457 were staff members.

Public Health also reported Monday four children with PIMS, or Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome, a new health condition seen in children who have been infected with COVID-19. An additional 21 suspect cases for the illness that may be associated with COVID19 were identified since March 1 and investigations in these cases are ongoing, Ferrer said.

“There are no reported deaths, but as people have noted, this is a very serious illness, although very rare in children. Three of the 25 children that reported with PIMS have required admission to a pediatric intensive care unit,” Ferrer said.

Public Health officials have also seen a small decrease in the number of hospitalized people. A total of 5,835 people, who have tested positive for COVID-19, have been at some point hospitalized, or 15% of all positive cases, a figure that has steadily dropped over the past two weeks, said Ferrer. Of those hospitalized as of Monday (1,570), 27% are in the ICU and 20% are on ventilators.

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital said Monday 1,249 patients were tested. Of those tested, 195 tests returned positive, 1,172 were negative and 17 remain outstanding, according to spokesman Patrick Moody, who added that the disparity in figures is from patients being tested more than once. A total of 15 people remain in the hospital for treatment and 68 have recovered and been discharged as of the last hospital report.

Public Health reported Monday that the number of cases within the SCV, including all area health care providers’ daily figures and Pitchess Detention Center, totaled 959, which broken down by region is as follows:

▪ City of Santa Clarita: 583

▪ Unincorporated — Acton: 10

▪ Unincorporated — Agua Dulce: 4

▪ Unincorporated — Bouquet Canyon: 0

▪ Unincorporated — Canyon Country: 33

▪ Unincorporated — Castaic: 276 (includes cases from Pitchess Detention Center)

▪ Unincorporated — Lake Hughes: 0

▪ Unincorporated — Newhall: 0

▪ Unincorporated — Placerita Canyon: 0

▪ Unincorporated — San Francisquito Canyon/Bouquet Canyon: 0

▪ Unincorporated — Sand Canyon: 0

▪ Unincorporated — Saugus: 4

▪ Unincorporated — Saugus/Canyon Country: 0

▪ Unincorporated — Stevenson

Ranch: 28

▪ Unincorporated — Val Verde: 14

▪ Unincorporated — Valencia: 7 Pitchess Detention Center, including all four of its jails, had a total of 256 inmates who had been diagnosed as COVID-19 positive and have been included in Castaic’s numbers, while the 26 staff who tested positive are reported to the region in which they reside, according to figures as shown Monday by Public Health.