COVID-19 surges in L.A. County

Public Health reports all-time, one-day highs of 7,593 cases, 2,316 hospitalizations

The California Department of Public Health released its updated metrics Tuesday, illustrating the dramatic surge in cases Los Angeles County is experiencing, as the county reported its highest single-day number of new COVID-19 cases and people hospitalized with COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

A total of 7,593 new COVID-19 diagnoses were reported in L.A. County Tuesday, along with 2,316 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized, 24% of whom are in the ICU, per L.A. County Public Health officials.

While L.A. County’s test positivity rate is at 7% — which meets the qualifications, based on the updated metrics, to move to the next tier — the county’s case rate has increased substantially, keeping it significantly above the threshold at 40.3 per 100,000 residents.

This latest figure is almost double what it was two weeks ago, according to the state data from the week ending Nov. 25. A county must meet both the test positivity and case rate metrics to move to a new tier.

The county’s adjusted case rate is 20.2 — nearly triple what is required to enter Tier 2. The raw case rate of 40.3 is adjusted depending on the county’s testing volume, resulting in the lower number. The target adjusted case rate to move to the next tier of opening is seven cases per 100,000 population.

These metrics keep the county squarely in the state’s most restrictive tier, a tier which Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday could see another stay-at-home order if cases continue increasing in this manner.

L.A. County Public Health officials

also released the following updated COVID-19 statistics Tuesday: Countywide COVID-19 cases reported in the past 24 hours: 7,593

Total COVID-19 cases in L. A. County: 408,396

New deaths related to COVID-19 reported in the past 24 hours: 46 Total COVID-19 deaths in L. A. County: 7,700

Hospitalizations countywide: 2,316, 24% of whom are in the ICU Hospitalizations at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital as of Nov. 30: 52, with 402 discharged since the onset of the pandemic

COVID-19 cases reported in the Santa Clarita Valley in the past 24 hours: 126 Total COVID-19 cases in the SCV: 9,883 Total COVID-19 deaths in the SCV: 84.

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: 6,396 Unincorporated — Acton: 119 Unincorporated — Agua Dulce: 61 Unincorporated — Bouquet Canyon: 16 Unincorporated — Canyon Country: 243 Unincorporated — Castaic: 2,427 (majority of Castaic cases come from Pitchess Detention Center; exact number unavailable) Unincorporated — Lake Hughes: 11 Unincorporated — Newhall: 36 Unincorporated — Placerita Canyon: 0 Unincorporated — San Francisquito Canyon/ Bouquet Canyon: 3 Unincorporated — Sand Canyon: 7 Unincorporated — Saugus: 50 Unincorporated — Saugus/Canyon Country: 14 Unincorporated — Stevenson Ranch: 316 Unincorporated — Val Verde: 122 Unincorporated — Valencia: 65