Los Angeles County Public Health officials on Monday confirmed 6 new deaths and 422 new cases of COVID-19 countywide, as Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital reported its 146th COVID death and the county OK’d more reopenings.

To date, Public Health identified 1,210,663 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County, including 26,839 total cases in the SCV — 76 more than Friday — and a total of 22,475 deaths, 279 of them among SCV residents.

“Our deepest condolences go out to everyone who is mourning a loved one or friend who has passed away from COVID-19. We are so sorry for your loss,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of L.A. County Public Health.

There are 893 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized and 28% of these people are in the ICU. The seven-day average number of daily cases by episode date has decreased to 550 new cases per day as of March 7.

Testing results are available for nearly 5,961,000 individuals with 19% of people testing positive. Today’s daily test positivity rate is 1.7%.

To date, nearly 2,742,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered across the county. Of those vaccinated, 899,527 people have received second doses.

As COVID-19 case rates, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to decrease, Public Health officials urge residents to proceed with caution.

“Tomorrow, March 16, will mark the one-year anniversary of the first COVID-19-related Health Officer Order here in L.A. County,” Ferrer said in her Monday update. “And for the first time since the state created the Blueprint for a Safer Economy last summer, L.A. County has moved from the most restrictive purple tier to the red tier.

“That we are here today is not a miracle; our recovery represents the deep commitment by hundreds of thousands of individuals and many thousands of businesses to adhering to safety measures and making sacrifices to keep each other safe,” Ferrer said. “I thank you L.A. County.

“As we move forward, let’s remember that our re-openings are happening alongside holidays and spring break. Holiday traveling, gatherings indoors and large parties have in the past wrecked our recovery journey,” she said. “Let’s not repeat past mistakes and let’s pledge to keep everyone alive until it is their turn to get vaccinated.”

See more L.A. County COVID-19 info and a vaccine update later in this report.

California Monday Snapshot

Statewide, as of Sunday, March 14, California Department of Public Health officials confirmed 3,528,795 COVID-19 cases (up 2,460) with 55,330 deaths from the disease (up 95) since the pandemic began.

There are 3,250 confirmed hospitalizations and 942 ICU hospitalizations in the state, continuing a downward trend.

As of March 14, local health departments have reported 99,330 confirmed positive cases in health care workers and 416 deaths statewide.

There have been 51,263,837 tests conducted in California. This represents an increase of 213,2830 during the prior 24-hour reporting period.

The 7-day positivity rate is 1.9%, continuing a downward trend.

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

As of March 15, providers have reported administering a total of 12,172,948 vaccine doses statewide. The CDC reports that 15,702,230 doses have been delivered to entities within the state. Numbers do not represent true day-to-day change as reporting may be delayed.

See more California information later in this report.

Screencap from the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering COVID-19 dashboard, showing COVID deaths in the United States as of Monday afternoon, March 15, 2021.

U.S. COVID-19 Cases Near 30 Million People; Deaths Surpass 535,000 People

Worldwide, 120,115,390 people have been infected by COVID-19 while 2,657,831 people have died of the virus as of 2:25 p.m. Monday Pacific Time, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

In the U.S., more than 29,485,159 Americans have been diagnosed with COVID-19. The number of people in the U.S. who have died due to the virus has now surpassed 535,552.

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 278,229 — half of the U.S. total — and No. 3 in cases with 11,483,370. India (population 1.353 billion) is No. 2 in cases with 11,385,339 confirmed infections and No. 4 in deaths with 158,725, behind No. 3 Mexico’s 194,710 deaths, as of Monday afternoon.

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Monday Update

On Monday, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital reported its 146th death due to COVID-19, according to hospital spokesman Patrick Moody.

No cases are pending, five patients are hospitalized in a dedicated COVID-19 unit receiving ICU-level care, and a total of 1,174 patients have been treated and discharged, Moody said Monday.

COVID-19 hospitalizations at Henry Mayo peaked on January 8, at 104 people.

The number of people who died at the hospital since the pandemic began remains at 145; the most recent death was reported Monday. According to Moody, 74 of the fatalities occurred in 2020, while 72 people have died so far this year.

Henry Mayo releases complete statistics weekly, usually on Wednesdays, unless one or more new deaths occur.

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

Santa Clarita Valley Monday Update

As of 6 p.m. Saturday, the latest update of the L.A. County Public Health dashboard counted 279 deaths among Santa Clarita Valley residents since the pandemic began.

Of the 2279 SCV residents who have died, 238 lived in Santa Clarita, 17 in Castaic, seven in Acton, three in Agua Dulce, three in unincorporated Canyon Country, four in Stevenson Ranch, two in Valencia, one in unincorporated Bouquet Canyon, one in Lake Hughes, one in Newhall, one in unincorporated Saugus/Canyon Country, one in Val Verde, and one in a community not yet named.

Of the 26,839 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported to Public Health for the SCV to date, the community breakdown is as follows:

 * City of Santa Clarita: 19,636

 * Castaic: 3,646 (incl. Pitchess Detention Center & North County Correctional Facility*)

 * Stevenson Ranch: 1,092

 * Canyon Country (unincorporated portion): 809

 * Acton: 456

 * Val Verde: 325

 * Agua Dulce: 260

 * Valencia (unincorporated portion west of I-5): 185

 * Saugus (unincorporated portion): 132

 * Elizabeth Lake: 75

 * Newhall (Unincorporated portion): 66

 * Bouquet Canyon: 45

 * Lake Hughes: 40

 * Saugus/Canyon Country: 39

 * Sand Canyon: 17

 * San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon: 15

 * Placerita Canyon: 1

*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.

L.A. County Vaccine Update

Currently, people who are eligible for the vaccine include healthcare workers, residents and staff at long-term care facilities, people who are age 65 or older, education and childcare workers, food and agriculture workers, emergency service workers and law enforcement, and starting today – people with certain serious health conditions and disabilities.

As of last week, 61.2% of L.A. County residents 65 and older received at least 1 dose of the vaccine and 33.7% received both doses. As a reminder to residents 65 and older not yet vaccinated, please make your appointment as soon as you can. Many neighborhood pharmacies are now offering appointments. If you are unable to use the web-based appointment system, please call our call center at 833-540-0473 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. 7 days a week. They can assist you with making an appointment.

Today, vaccine eligibility expands to residents between the ages 16 through 64 who have underlying health conditions or disabilities that put them at the highest risk of becoming very sick from COVID-19. Persons with these conditions should check with their health care provider to see if they can be vaccinated by their health care provider. Vaccinations will also be available at community vaccination sites for those who can travel to these sites. More information and options are available online.

This week, there are over 384 vaccination sites receiving a portion of the 259,660 total doses allocated to L.A. County. The allocation for this week is lower as the County is not receiving Johnson & Johnson doses, and this may be true next week as well. Last week, we received over 312,000 doses, 54,000 of which were Johnson & Johnson.

Public Health is continuing to increase allocations to community sites serving hardest-hit communities so that providers are able to vaccinate more people. This week, 79 mobile vaccination sites will be operating across L.A. County to vaccinate people living in senior centers and residential communities, and in hard-hit areas of the county.

Across vaccination providers, there continues to be much more capacity to vaccinate; this week alone there are over 627,000 appointment slots available, and we only have enough doses for about 259,000 appointments. Our large capacity vaccination sites alone could be providing 210,000 additional doses this week if there was sufficient supply.

As Public Health has done the last 2 weeks, vaccinations are scheduled on sector-specific days for eligible groups at the large capacity vaccination sites. A full breakdown of the occupations by sector and appointment days is available online.

At hundreds of vaccination sites across the county, including pharmacies and many community clinics, appointments are open to L.A. County residents or workers meeting the eligibility requirements.

L.A. County Vaccination Appointments & Locations

While COVID-19 vaccine supply remains very limited, Public Health officials continue to build an extensive network with pharmacies, federally qualified health centers, hospitals, health clinics, and community vaccination sites, including seven large-capacity sites:

* Dodger Stadium (operated by the city of Los Angeles)

* Six Flags Magic Mountain, 26101 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia 91355

* California State University, Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff St, Northridge 91330

* Pomona Fairplex, 1101 W McKinley Ave, Pomona 91768

* The Forum, 3900 W Manchester Blvd, Inglewood 90305

* L.A. County Office of Education, 12830 Columbia Way, Downey 90242

* California State University, Los Angeles, 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles 90032 (operated by FEMA)

The county continues to expand mobile vaccination services to better meet the needs of those in underserved communities.

For more information about vaccine appointments in L.A. County and when your turn is coming up, to sign up for a vaccination newsletter, and much more, visit www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) and www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish). Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status.

L.A. County Reopenings Update

Effective today, Monday, March 15, the following re-openings are now permitted with required safety protocols for masking, distancing, and infection control:

* Museums, Zoos, and Aquariums can open indoors at 25% capacity.

* Gyms, Fitness Centers, Yoga, and Dance Studios can open indoors at 10% capacity with masking requirements for all indoor activities.

* Movie Theatres can open indoors at 25% capacity with reserved seating only where each group is seated with at least 6 feet of distance in all directions between any other groups.

* Retail and Personal Care Services can increase capacity to 50% with masking required at all times and for all services.

* Restaurants can open indoors at 25% max capacity under the following conditions: can open indoors at 25% max capacity under the following conditions: eight feet distancing between tables; one household per indoor table with a limit of six people; the HVAC system is in good working order and has been evaluated, and to the maximum extent possible ventilation has been increased.

Public Health strongly recommends that all restaurant employees interacting with customers indoors are provided with additional masking protection (above the currently required face shield over face masks); this can be fit tested N95 masks, KN95 masks, or double masks, in addition to the required face shield.

Public Health also strongly recommends that all employees working indoors are informed about and offered opportunities to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Outdoor dining can accommodate up to six people per table from three different households.

* Indoor Shopping Malls can increase capacity to 50% with common areas remaining closed; food courts can open at 25% capacity adhering to the restaurant guidance for indoor dining.

* Institutes of Higher Education can re-open all permitted activities with required safety modifications except for residential housing which remains under current restrictions for the Spring semester.

* Schools are permitted to re-open for in-person instruction for students in grades 7-12 adhering to all state and county directives.

* Private gatherings can occur indoors with up to three separate households, with masking and distancing required at all times. People who are fully vaccinated can gather in small numbers indoors with other people who are fully vaccinated without required masking and distancing.

However, just because certain activities are allowed or certain reopening protocols are revised, does not mean that those activities are “safe” and without risk. We are still in the middle of a pandemic, and whenever there are more opportunities for interactions with people not in your household, there can be more transmission of the virus.

We have the tools to protect ourselves from the increased transmission; we just need to use them and not get complacent.

To keep yourself, your family, your friends, and neighbors, and the broader community and local economy safe, continue following these core practices:

* Go outdoors. Outdoor activities are far safer than indoor ones.

* Stay masked. Consistent and correct use of masks, especially double-masking, both indoors and outdoors, is very effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19.

* Maintain at least a 6-foot distance from others. Physical distancing from those who do not live with you also helps to keep the virus away.

* Avoid crowds. The fewer people you encounter and the fewer interactions you have, the smaller the chance the virus will spread.

* Get vaccinated when it’s your turn. All federally authorized vaccines work well and will help protect you, your family, and your friends against COVID-19.

L.A. County Demographics — Cases and Deaths (excluding Long Beach and Pasadena)

* 0 to 4: 22577

* 5 to 11: 54582

* 12 to 17: 68447

* 18 to 29: 271091

* 30 to 49: 381775

* 50 to 64: 221944

* 65 to 79: 88585

* over 80: 32214

* Under Investigation 6796

Of the six new deaths reported today, two people that passed away were over the age of 80, two people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79, two people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64, and two people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49.

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.

New Tier Assignments Effective Sunday, March 14

With the Regional Stay at Home Order rescinded statewide as of January 25, all counties are now under the rules and framework of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy and color-coded tiers that indicate which activities and businesses are open based on local case rates and test positivity.

After reassessment using new thresholds due to the state meeting its goal of 2 million vaccines administered in its hardest-hit communities, 13 counties will move to a less restrictive tier, from Purple (widespread) to Red (substantial): Amador, Colusa, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Mendocino, Mono, Orange, Placer, San Benito, San Bernardino, Siskiyou, Sonoma and Tuolumne.

Blueprint summary as of March 14:

* 21 counties are currently in the Purple (widespread) Tier (including Los Angeles County)

* 33 counties are currently in the Red (substantial) Tier

* 3 counties are currently in the Orange (moderate) Tier

* 1 county is in the Yellow (minimal) Tier

The state released updates to the state’s reopening framework on Friday, March 5. The updates will allow outdoor ballparks, stadiums, and theme parks to open with significantly reduced capacity, mandatory masking, and other public health precautions. The updates will take effect on April 1.

Blueprint tiers are updated weekly on Tuesdays. Find the status of activities in specific counties.

March 11 Blueprint Update

CDPH updated public health guidance in Governor Newsom’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy on Thursday, March 11, to allow for additional safe and sustainable reopening activities in the state.

Breweries, Wineries, Distilleries

As of March 13, breweries, wineries, and distilleries that do not serve meals may open outdoors only with modifications in the Purple (widespread) and Red (substantial) tiers.

The modifications include ensuring that patrons have reservations and patrons observe a 90-minute time limit. Service for on-site consumption must end by 8 p.m. (Previously, and through March 12, breweries and distilleries not serving meals were closed in the Purple and Red tiers).

In the Orange (moderate) Tier, indoor operations may begin with 25 percent of maximum capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. In the Yellow (minimal) tier, indoor operations may increase to 50 percent of maximum capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer.

The updated guidance does not apply to breweries, wineries, and distilleries that provide meals. Those establishments should continue to follow the restaurant guidance.

Bars

As of March 13, bars that do not serve meals remain closed in the Purple (widespread) and Red (substantial) tiers. In the Orange (moderate) tier, bars may begin outdoor operations with modifications. In the Yellow (minimal) tier, bars may begin indoor operations with modifications of 25 percent maximum capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

Overnight Sleepaway Camps

Beginning June 1, overnight sleepaway camps will be allowed to resume with modifications in the Red, Orange, and Yellow tiers.

More information about these updates, and which activities are allowed in the various tiers, can be found here.

Vaccinate All 58
In order to increase the pace of COVID-19 vaccine distribution to those at greatest risk, the state is prioritizing individuals 65 and older to receive the vaccine as demand subsides among health care workers. This effort will help to reduce hospitalizations and save lives.

To sign up for a notification when you’re eligible for a vaccine, visit myturn.ca.gov.

For more information on the vaccine effort, visit the Vaccinate All 58 webpage.

Tracking Variants

Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been identified globally during the COVID-19 pandemic.

These genetic mutations are expected, and some emerge and then disappear, while others persist or become common. Most variants do not have a meaningful impact.

Public health becomes concerned about a variant when it affects COVID-19 transmission, severity, testing, treatment, or vaccine effectiveness.

Get more information here on the variants CDPH is currently monitoring.

‘Safe Schools for All’ Plan
Governor Newsom launched the Safe Schools for All Hub as a one-stop-shop for information about safe in-person instruction.

For more information on the transparency, accountability, and assistance measures related to California’s Safe Schools for All plan, visit the hub.

Travel Advisory

California Public Health has issued an updated travel advisory. Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.

Non-essential travelers from other states or countries are strongly discouraged from entering California and should adhere to the state’s self-quarantine procedures for 10 days.

California Demographics: Health Equity Dashboard

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted existing inequities in health that are the result of structural racism and poverty, and the disproportionate prevalence of underlying conditions such as asthma and heart disease among Latinos and African Americans.

As part of its commitment to reduce health inequities and ensure the best outcomes for all Californians, the state has launched a Health Equity Dashboard on www.covid19.ca.gov/equity/ that tracks California’s health equity measure and data by race and ethnicity, age group, and sexual orientation/gender identity.

California Testing & Turnaround Time
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 February 21 to February 27, the average time patients waited for test results was 1.2 days. During this same time period, 78% of patients received test results in one day and 94% received them within two days. The testing turnaround time dashboard (PDF) is updated weekly.

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

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 March 8, 357 cases of MIS-C have been reported statewide, 26 more than the previous week (down from 29 the week before that). To protect patient confidentiality in counties with fewer than 11 cases, CDPH officials are 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: Your Actions Save Lives

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.

* Avoiding non-essential travel, and practicing self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival if you leave the state.

* Keeping interactions limited to people 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.

* Getting tested if you believe you’ve been exposed. Free, confidential testing is available statewide.

* Getting vaccinated when it’s your turn.

* Adding your phone to the fight by signing up for COVID-19 exposure notifications from CA Notify.

* Answering the call if a contact tracer from the CA COVID Team or local health department tries to connect.

* 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 healthcare provider before seeking medical care so that appropriate precautions can be taken.

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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