The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Monday reported 17 new deaths and 5,150 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 countywide, as Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital reported its 38th fatality, and new Health Officer restrictions take effect.

The death at Henry Mayo was the third reported in the past six days.

The number of new cases is far higher than the county’s peak number of daily cases during the summer surge, which averaged 2,950 cases on July 14.

The SCV has now tallied 9,776 confirmed COVID-19 cases — 318 new cases reported since Friday — and 83 deaths from the virus since the pandemic began.

Testing results are available for more than 3,734,000 individuals with 10% of all people testing positive for COVID-19.

There are 2,185 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 countywide; 24% of the patients are in the ICU. This is more than two times the average seen on November 13 when the daily number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 was 974.

To date, Public Health has counted 7,655 confirmed COVID-19 deaths and 400,919 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. county. Upon further investigation, 74 cases and one death reported earlier were not L.A. County residents.

“It is important to remember that behind our daily reported number of deaths are real people, and that many across our county are grieving them. To all who have lost someone to this virus, our hearts and our deepest condolences go out to you,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of L.A. County Public Health.

“We are at the most difficult moment time in the pandemic,” she said. “The alarming increases in cases that we continue to witness is not due to random events out of our control — many of these cases could have been prevented if individuals and businesses were following the straightforward public health measures of masking, distancing and infection control.

“As we are all seeing, when even relatively small numbers of businesses and individuals fail to adhere to sensible precautions, many others experience the consequences of these lapses,” Ferrer said. “Until there is a vaccine, each of us needs to protect all of those around us, both those we know and those we don’t. The virus is running rampant through almost every part of our county and our most sensible course of action is to make sure that everyone is always masked when they are around any others outside their household.”

Nov. 30 ‘Safer at Home’ Health Officer Order

A new Health Officer Order calling for increased restrictions went into effect Monday. Read more here.

See more L.A. County updates later in this report.

California Monday Snapshot

Statewide, as of Sunday, November 29, the California Department of Public Health confirmed a total of 1,212,968 COVID-19 cases (up 14,034), with 19,141 deaths from the disease (up 20) since the pandemic began.

There are 7,787 confirmed hospitalizations and 1,812 ICU hospitalizations in the state, continuing a sharp upward trend.

California’s 7-day positivity rate is 6.5% and the 14-day positivity rate is 6.2%, continuing an upward trend.

As case numbers continue to rise statewide, the number of patients who will have serious outcomes will also increase.

As of November 29, local health departments have reported 52,729 confirmed positive cases in healthcare workers and 218 deaths statewide.

There have been 24,025,171 COVID-19 tests conducted in California, an increase of 217,670 over the prior 24-hour reporting period.

Numbers do not represent true day-over-day change as these results include cases from prior to yesterday.

See more California info later in this report.

Screencap from the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering COVID-19 dashboard, showing COVID cases in the United States as of Monday afternoon, November 30, 2020.
COVID Worldwide: U.S. Leads World in Deaths, Nearing 268,000

Worldwide, 63,118,430 people have been infected by COVID-19 while 1,465,492 people have died of the virus as of 2:27 p.m. Monday Pacific Time, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

More than 13,511,194 Americans have been diagnosed with COVID-19. The number of people in the U.S. who have died due to the virus has surpassed 267,792.

With 4.25% of the world’s population (328.2 million) and more than 20% of the confirmed COVID-19 cases, the U.S. also continues to lead the world in deaths.

By comparison, Brazil (population 209.5 million) is No. 2 in deaths with 172,833, and No. 3 in cases with 6,314,740. India (population 1.353 billion) is No. 2 in cases, with 9,431,691 confirmed cases and 137,139 deaths as of Monday afternoon.

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Monday Update

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital reported its 38th death due to COVID-19 on Monday, Nov. 30, following two deaths last week, reported Tuesday and Wednesday, according to hospital spokesman Patrick Moody.

As of Monday, of the 12,502 people tested at Henry Mayo to date, 1,408 tested positive, 15,124 were negative, 13 were pending, 52 patients were hospitalized in a dedicated unit receiving ICU-level care (10 more than last Wednesday), and a total of 402 COVID-19 patients have been treated and discharged so far, Moody said.

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital releases complete statistics weekly, generally on Wednesdays, unless a new death occurs, he said.

Discrepancies in the testing numbers at the hospital are due to some patients being tested multiple times.

Privacy laws prohibit the hospital from releasing the community of residence for patients who die there; that info is reported by the L.A. County Public Health COVID-19 dashboard, which is generally 48 hours behind.

Santa Clarita Valley Monday Update

As of 8 p.m. Saturday, November 28, the latest update to its COVID-19 data dashboard, L.A. County Public Health reported a total of 82 deaths in the Santa Clarita Valley since the pandemic began, but did not yet log the 83rd death reported Wednesday by Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital.

Of those 83 SCV residents who have died, 67 lived in Santa Clarita, 5 in Castaic, 3 in Acton, 3 in Stevenson Ranch, 1 in unincorporated Bouquet Canyon, 1 in unincorporated Canyon Country, 1 in Val Verde, 1 in unincorporated Valencia, and 1 in a community not yet named.

Of the 9,776 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported to Public Health for the SCV to date, the community breakdown is as follows:

City of Santa Clarita: 6,299

Castaic: 2,418 (includes Pitchess Detention Center and North County Correctional Facility*)

Stevenson Ranch: 311

Canyon Country (unincorporated portion): 234

Val Verde: 122

Acton: 114

Valencia (unincorporated portion west of I-5): 63

Agua Dulce: 61

Saugus (unincorporated portion): 50

Newhall (Unincorporated portion): 35

Bouquet Canyon: 16

Saugus/Canyon Country: 14

Elizabeth Lake: 16

Lake Hughes: 10

Sand Canyon: 7

San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon: 3

*Note: The county is unable to break out separate numbers for Castaic and PDC/NCCF because the county uses geotagging software that cannot be changed at this time, according to officials. Click here for the LASD COVID-19 dashboard.

Surging Hospitalizations Test Limits

Public Health remains concerned not only about the people who are suffering from COVID-19, but also about how increasing numbers in hospitalization could overwhelm the healthcare system.

Hospitals across the country and world have been overwhelmed and have not had enough capacity to treat patients who have COVID-19, but also serve patients who are in need of medical care for other reasons. This remains a concern here in L.A. County, and although currently we have adequate capacity at hospitals and there are extensive plans in place to take appropriate actions to manage the increases, a continued surge in cases and hospitalizations is not sustainable.

It is very possible that within a week, the county will experience the daily number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 around 2,500. A week after that, the average daily number of deaths could be around 50 people.

Public Health officials know that the effects of actions taken this past weekend will be seen in about two weeks from now in the number of new daily cases. If you did travel or gather over the holiday, it is important for you to quarantine for 14 days. It is very possible that you were exposed to someone who is infected with COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising those who travel should test twice during the quarantine period, once a couple of days after you return, and another test taken five to seven days later. Please note, a negative test does not mean you don’t need to remain home in quarantine since this virus can incubate over 14 days.

Healthcare Workers & Skills Nursing Facilities Update

Public Health is closely tracking the number of positive cases among healthcare workers related to the COVID-19 pandemic response to be sure we have sufficient healthcare workers to staff our facilities and care for patients. This week, we are reporting an additional 747 new cases among healthcare workers.

Throughout the pandemic, the largest proportion of positive cases in healthcare workers were among people working in skilled nursing facilities. To date, almost one-third of healthcare worker cases are in people working in skilled nursing facilities.

Once there are increases in the number of infected healthcare workers at skilled nursing facilities, more residents are also likely to become infected. L.A. County is experiencing increases in cases among skilled nursing facilities residents. From November 1 through November 21, cases among residents have increased by 89%, from 146 to 276 cases.

L.A. County is also seeing increases in people residing in skilled nursing facilities passing away from COVID-19. During the week of November 1, 17 residents died, and during the week of November 15, 30 residents died.

Public Health is working with skilled nursing facilities to ensure they are as safe as possible. Facilities are now testing staff twice weekly. In addition to the existing protocols for infection control and the assistance we have been providing, the department has taken additional actions, offering more direct assistance for difficult outbreaks or outbreaks of high concern in skilled nursing facilities.

Public Health is also providing additional support to assist in data gathering and analysis, identifying any potential issues that could lead to inadequate supply of personal protective equipment, as well as offering additional infection prevention and control training.

Non-Compliant Businesses List

Businesses not adhering to safety protocols to protect workers and customers increase the risk for transmission of COVID-19. A list of non-compliant businesses that received citations can be found online here.

More L.A. County Demographics: Age

Of the 17 new deaths reported today, nine people that passed away were over the age of 80 years old, six people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79 years old, and two people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64 years old.

Fourteen people who died had underlying health conditions including eight people over the age of 80 years old, six people between the ages of 65 and 79 years old, and one person between the ages of 50 and 64 years old.

Ninety-three percent of the people who have died from COVID-19 to date had underlying health conditions. Hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes are the most common underlying health conditions among people hospitalized with COVID-19. Many people have multiple underlying health conditions.

Cases by Age Group (Los Angeles County only — excluding Long Beach and Pasadena)
Young people are driving the surge of the virus’s spread with disastrous results for our elderly.

In the last month, the case rate for residents age 18 to 29 years old has more than doubled, from 11.5 cases per 100,000 people to 25 cases per 100,000 people.

The second-highest group, residents ages 30 through 49 years old, has nearly doubled from 9.4 cases to 18 cases per 100,000 people.

* 0 to 4 7030

* 5 to 11 11532

* 12 to 17 18866

* 18 to 29 95172

* 30 to 49 130272

* 50 to 64 72293

* 65 to 79 28301

* over 80 11803

* Under Investigation 2476

More L.A. County Demographics: Race/Ethnicity

Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 7,228 people (99 percent of the cases reported by Public Health); 52% of deaths occurred among Latino/Latinx residents, 24% among White residents, 14% among Asian residents, 9% among African American/Black residents, less than 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other races.

L.A. County Public Health’s Reopening Protocols, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, Roadmap to Recovery, Recovery Dashboard, and additional things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

California Blueprint for a Safer Economy

Governor Gavin Newsom’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy imposes risk-based criteria on tightening and loosening COVID-19 allowable activities and expands the length of time between changes to assess how any movement affects the trajectory of the disease.

Californians can go to covid19.ca.gov to find out where their county falls and what activities are allowable in each county.

California Testing
More than 85 community testing sites offer free, confidential testing: Find a COVID-19 Testing Site.

The testing turnaround dashboard reports how long California patients are waiting for COVID-19 test results. California has worked to reduce testing turnaround times in recent weeks to help curb the spread of the virus.

During the week of November 15 to November 21, the average time patients waited for test results was 1.4 days. During this same time period, 59 percent of patients received test results in 1 day and 86 percent received them within 2 days. The testing turnaround time dashboard (PDF) is updated weekly.

All four tiers in the Testing Prioritization Guidance originally dated July 14, 2020, will have equal priority for testing.

California Demographics

Overall, for adults 18 and older, Latinos, African Americans and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are dying at disproportionately higher levels.

The proportion of COVID-19 deaths in African Americans is more than one-and-a-half times their population representation across all adult age categories. For Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, overall numbers are low, but almost double between the proportion of COVID-19 deaths and their population representation.

More males are dying from COVID-19 than females, in line with national trends.

More information is available at COVID-19 Race and Ethnicity Data.

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

Each week, the California Department of Public Health updates the number of cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) reported in the state.

As of November 23, 136 cases of MIS-C have been reported statewide, seven more than the previous week.

To protect patient confidentiality in counties with fewer than 11 cases, CDPH is not providing total counts at this time.

MIS-C is a rare inflammatory condition associated with COVID-19 that can damage multiple organ systems. MIS-C can require hospitalization and be life-threatening.

Parents should be aware of the signs and symptoms of MIS-C including fever that does not go away, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes or feeling tired.

Contact your child’s doctor immediately if your child has these symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment of patients are critical to preventing long-term complications.

Protect Yourself and Your Family

California is experiencing the fastest increase in cases we have seen yet – faster than what we experienced at the outset of the pandemic and this summer. If COVID-19 continues to spread at this rate, it could quickly overwhelm our health care system and lead to catastrophic outcomes.

Protect yourself, family, friends, and community by following these prevention measures:

* Staying home except for essential needs/activities following local and state public health guidelines when patronizing approved businesses. To the extent that sectors are re-opened, Californians may leave their homes to work at, patronize, or otherwise engage with those businesses, establishments or activities.

* Following the limited Stay at Home Order that requires all non-essential work and activities to stop between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. in counties in the purple tier. The order took effect at 10 p.m. Saturday, November 21, and will remain in effect until 5 a.m. December 21.

* Staying close to home, avoiding non-essential travel, and practicing self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival if you leave the state.

* Keeping gatherings small, short, and outdoors and limiting them to those who live in your household.

* Wearing a cloth face mask when out in public

* Washing hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds

* Avoiding touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands

* Covering a cough or sneeze with your sleeve or disposable tissue. Wash your hands afterward

* Avoiding close contact with people who are sick

* Staying away from work, school, or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough

* Following guidance from public health officials

What to Do if You Think You’re Sick

Call ahead: If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough or shortness of breath), call your health care provider before seeking medical care so that appropriate precautions can be taken. More than 85 community testing sites also offer free, confidential testing: Find a COVID-19 Testing Site.

It’s important if someone thinks they could be positive for COVID-19 and are awaiting testing results to stay at home and act as if they are positive. This means self-isolating for 10 days and 72 hours after symptoms and fever subside.

If a person tests positive for COVID-19, they should plan on receiving a call from a public health specialist to discuss how to protect themselves and others, find out where they may have been, and who they were in close contact with while infectious.

California COVID-19 Data and Tools

A wide range of data and analysis guides California’s response to COVID-19. The state is making the data and its analytical tools available to researchers, scientists and the public at covid19.ca.gov.

* The Statewide COVID-19 Dashboard

* The California COVID-19 Assessment Tool (CalCAT)

* State Cases and Deaths Associated with COVID-19 by Age Group

* COVID-19 Race & Ethnicity Data

* COVID-19 Hospital Data and Case Statistics

* View additional datasets at the California Open Data Portal (including Testing Data, PPE Logistics Data, Hospital Data, Homeless Impact and more)

Consolidated guidance is available on the California Department of Public Health’s Guidance webpage.

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Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus (COVID-19):

* Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

* California Department of Public Health

* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

* Spanish

* World Health Organization

* Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Dashboard

L.A. County residents can also call 2-1-1.

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