SCV COVID-19 cases rise by 13

The total number of COVID-19 cases within the Santa Clarita Valley, which includes those from an outbreak at Pitchess Detention Center, has increased by 13 in the last day.

In the past 24 hours, the Los Angeles County Public Health Department has reported 1,414 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases to 79,609 countywide.

In addition to the new cases, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said 38 new deaths had been reported in the past day, bringing the total number of deaths in the county related to COVID-19 to 3,063.

Of those who died, 31 were over the age of 65, seven were between the ages of 41-65, 32 of whom suffered from underlying conditions.

The mortality rate countywide is 3.84% among confirmed cases.

During the county’s thrice-weekly news conference on Friday, county Supervisor Kathryn Barger announced that the county would be moving to a once-a-week format for the COVID-19 press briefings. They will be held on Mondays at 1 p.m. in English, and on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. for other languages spoken by non-English-speaking communities within the county.

Of those tested throughout the pandemic, 8% test positive, according to Ferrer.

On Wednesday, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital reported a new death at the facility related to COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths within the SCV to 27.

Due to patient privacy policy, the hospital declined to give any information about the newly reported deceased, according to hospital spokesman Patrick Moody.

Henry Mayo released its latest figures Wednesday, reporting a total of 2,343 patients had been tested — many of whom have been tested more than once — with 249 tests returning positive, 2,328 negative and 77 still pending, according to Moody. Seven people remained in the hospital and 94 have recovered and been discharged, he added.

The number of SCV cases, including all area health care providers’ daily figures and Pitchess Detention Center, totaled 2,819 as of Friday, which, broken down into region, are as follows:

▪ City of Santa Clarita: 938

▪ Unincorporated — Acton: 19

▪ Unincorporated — Agua Dulce: 9

▪ Unincorporated — Bouquet Canyon: 1

▪ Unincorporated — Canyon Country: 39

▪ Unincorporated — Castaic: 1,727 (majority of Castaic cases come from Pitchess Detention Center; exact number unavailable)

▪ Unincorporated — Lake Hughes: 1

▪ Unincorporated — Newhall: 1

▪ Unincorporated — Placerita Canyon: 0

▪ Unincorporated — San Francisquito Canyon/Bouquet Canyon: 0

▪ Unincorporated — Sand Canyon: 0

▪ Unincorporated — Saugus: 5

▪ Unincorporated — Saugus/ Canyon Country: 0

▪ Unincorporated — Stevenson Ranch: 44

▪ Unincorporated — Val Verde: 23

▪ Unincorporated — Valencia: 12