L.A. County reports highest 1-day COVID-19 count since August

Public Health confirms 30 deaths, including 1 in SCV

L.A. County Department of Public Health officials announced 1,645 new COVID-19 cases countywide, which is the highest number of cases reported in a single day since Aug. 22.

“While one day of a high number of cases does not indicate a trend, this is something to watch closely,” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.

In addition, Public Health reported 30 additional deaths related to COVID-19 countywide Wednesday, at least one of which came from the Santa Clarita Valley, bringing the death tolls to 6,709 and 66, respectively.

Ferrer also discussed the state’s metrics, which were updated Tuesday to show that L.A. County’s data continues to put it squarely in the most restrictive tier.

“We need to continue to try to reduce our case numbers, and we do this by protecting workers, wearing our cloth face coverings, maintaining a 6-foot distance and washing our hands,” Ferrer said. “This would be the way we have in front of us now to reduce transmission rates, even while we reopen additional sectors.”

The county’s seven-day average positivity rate is at 2.8%, down 0.1% from last week, while its case rate is significantly above the threshold at 9.4 per 100,000 residents — an increase in 0.5 from last week — and its adjusted case rate is 7.4, which is adjusted depending on the county’s testing volume and increased 0.1 since last week, according to the state data released Tuesday, based on results from the week ending Sept. 26.

In order to move into Tier 2, which would allow for more reopenings, a county’s adjusted case rate must be at or below seven new diagnoses per 100,000 residents per day, with a testing positivity rate of 5% to 8%. Counties must continue to meet these metrics for two consecutive weeks before moving into this tier.

Public Health officials also released the following updated COVID-19 statistics Wednesday:

■ Countywide COVID-19 cases reported in the past 24 hours: 1,645

■ Total COVID-19 cases in L. A. County: 277,445

■ New deaths related to COVID-19 reported in the past 24 hours: 30

■ Total COVID-19 deaths in L. A. County: 6,709

■ Hospitalizations countywide: 696; 28% of whom are in the ICU and 15% are on ventilators

■ Hospitalizations at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital as of Oct. 7: 9, with 273 discharged since the onset of the pandemic

■ COVID-19 cases reported in the Santa Clarita Valley in the past 24 hours: 59

■ Total COVID-19 cases in the SCV: 6,412 ■ Total COVID-19 deaths in the SCV: 66

The number of SCV cases, including all area health care providers’ daily figures and those at Pitchess Detention Center, broken down into region, are as follows:

■ City of Santa Clarita: 3,681

■ Unincorporated — Acton: 74

■ Unincorporated — Agua Dulce: 28

■ Unincorporated — Bouquet Canyon: 9

■ Unincorporated — Canyon Country: 151

■ Unincorporated — Castaic: 2,101 (majority of Castaic cases come from Pitchess Detention Center; exact number unavailable)

■ Unincorporated — Lake Hughes: 4

■ Unincorporated — Newhall: 14

■ Unincorporated — Placerita Canyon: 0

■ Unincorporated — San Francisquito Canyon/ Bouquet Canyon: 0

■ Unincorporated — Sand Canyon: 7

■ Unincorporated — Saugus: 28

■ Unincorporated — Saugus/Canyon Country: 6

■ Unincorporated — Stevenson Ranch: 178

■ Unincorporated — Val Verde: 87

■ Unincorporated — Valencia: 48