Virus spike From might lead to renewed mask rules

LOS ANGELES (CNS) — COVID-19 infections continue surging in Los Angeles County, with the rising rates of new cases and hospital admissions again pushing the county into the “medium” COVID activity level, the public health director said, Thursday, adding that an- other indoor masking mandate could be imposed soon.

County Public Health Di- rector Barbara Ferrer said the county is averaging more than 2,700 new COVID infections per day, a 180% increase, since Nov. 1. Daily virus-related hospital admissions are at 192 per day, a 200% jump, since Nov. 1.

“There is this common line of thinking that the pandemic is over and COVID is no longer of concern, but these numbers clearly demonstrate that COVID is still with us,” Ferrer said.

“Given both the increases in hospitalizations and the lack of certainty in the winter trajectory for COVID-19, continuing some common-sense mitigation strategies that we know work to limit transmission and illness, including masking and being up to date on vaccines and boosters, remains a very sensible approach.”

Los Angeles County’s weekly rate of new cases rose to 185 per 100,000 residents, which was enough to push the county from the “low” virus activity level to the “medium” community level, as defined by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The move to “medium” did not prompt any immediate changes to public health mandates, such as indoor masking — which remains “strongly recommended” by the county.

“However, it does signal that case rates and hospitalizations are elevated, and we could be in the ‘high’ community level as soon as next week,” she said.