The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed Monday 60 new Omicron cases, 3,258 new cases of COVID-19 and seven additional deaths.

**Note: There was no available data released on a city by city basis. The numbers reported Monday reflect weekend reporting delays. There are 743 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized.

Public Health would like to remind residents that getting vaccinated or boosted remains critical as holiday traveling and gatherings begin. Additionally, all residents across L.A. County should continue:

Getting tested to help reduce the spread, especially if you traveled for the holidays, have had a possible exposure, or have symptoms, or are gathering with people not in your household.

– Adhering to masking requirements when indoors or at large outdoor mega events, regardless of vaccination status.

– Residents are also reminded that they are legally required to be isolated if they have a positive COVID test result and that vaccinated close contacts with symptoms and unvaccinated close contacts need to be quarantined.

As Omicron cases continue to spread, Public Health data shows that vaccines remain one of the most powerful protections against COVID-19 transmission, especially at skilled nursing facilities.

For the week ending on Dec. 17, outbreaks rose in every sector we track, except skilled nursing facilities.Outbreaks increased by 118% in the education sector, 83% in congregate/group housing, 13% in settings serving people experiencing homelessness, and 24% at worksites/places of worship. Over the same period, outbreaks at skilled nursing facilities decreased by 11%.

Although masking compliance and vaccination rates are high in most of the settings, our most intensive work to ensure widespread booster administration occurred at skilled nursing facilities. Currently, 84% of eligible skilled nursing facility residents and 50% of eligible staff have received booster shots (90% of residents and 97% of staff are fully vaccinated).

“To everyone who has lost a friend or loved one to COVID-19, we send you our deepest condolences,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “Evidence is mounting that for those vaccinated months ago, boosters are necessary to provide the best defense from infection with and transmission of the Omicron variant. Vaccinations also continue to provide excellent protection from the Delta variant. The widespread uptake of booster shots at skilled nursing facilities – a result of early efforts to get booster doses to these highly-vulnerable individuals as soon as they became available — have helped keep outbreaks at lower numbers in these settings.”

“This aligns with other information gathered from around the country demonstrating the power of boosters, and the importance of getting boosted as soon as possible once eligible,” Ferrer continued. “Given the rising case numbers, the high rate of community transmission, and all the evidence that, over time, our immune systems need a boost to be able to attack the COVID virus, no one eligible should delay getting their booster dose.”

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and are recommended for everyone 5 years of age and older to help protect against COVID-19. Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status. Appointments are not needed at all Public Health vaccination sites and many community sites where first, second, and third doses are available.

Getting vaccinated or boosted is most important as we go into the holiday season where many will be traveling and gathering with others. The vaccines are effective against the Delta variant and earlier strains of the virus, which allows us to remain hopeful that the approved vaccines will also provide some protection against Omicron. Residents can walk-in to any Public Health vaccination site or make an appointment at the hundreds of additional sites across the county. For more information, visit VaccinateLACounty.com.

William S. Hart Union High School District COVID-19 Dashboard

The William S. Hart Union High School District provides ongoing information to our community regarding COVID-19 cases while maintaining confidentiality for our students and staff. The COVID-19 case data below is updated regularly to indicate any currently confirmed COVID-19 positive case in staff members or students by school site. The data below is specific to individuals who have been physically present on a District campus within 14 days of receiving a positive COVID-19 test. The District, in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, conducts contact tracing and directly notifies and provides resources for parents of students identified as close contacts (6 feet or less for 15 cumulative minutes or more).

Note: To see the communication process in the event of a positive COVID-19 case, visit https://www.hartdistrict.org/apps/pages/covid-19dashboard.

Student Dashboard

Staff Dashboard

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital reported zero tests pending, 24 patients in the hospital, a total of 1,688 patients who have been treated and discharged since the pandemic began, and no additional deceased, confirmed spokesman Patrick Moody.

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 generally lags 48 hours behind.

Santa Clarita Valley Monday Update
As of 5:15 p.m. Monday, the L.A. County Public Health dashboard remains unchanged as of Friday, with a total number of 372 COVID-19 deaths to date in the Santa Clarita Valley.

The following is the community breakdown of the 372 SCV residents who have died, according to the L.A. County dashboard:

306 in Santa Clarita

23 in Castaic

13 in Acton

9 in Stevenson Ranch

7 in unincorporated Canyon Country

5 in Agua Dulce

3 in Val Verde

2 in Valencia

1 in unincorporated Bouquet Canyon

1 in Elizabeth Lake

1 in Newhall

1 in unincorporated Saugus/Canyon Country

0 in Lake Hughes (**revised from 1)

SCV Cases

***No data available Monday. Data as of Friday, Dec. 17*** Of the 40,114 cases reported to Public Health for the SCV to date, the community breakdown is as follows:

Santa Clarita: 29,459

Castaic: 4,710

Stevenson Ranch: 1,927

Canyon Country (unincorporated portion): 1,258

Acton: 865

Val Verde: 460

Agua Dulce: 450

Valencia (unincorporated portion west of I-5): 327

Saugus (unincorporated portion): 190

Elizabeth Lake: 128

Bouquet Canyon: 86

Lake Hughes: 77

Newhall (Unincorporated portion): 70

Saugus/Canyon Country: 55

Sand Canyon: 24

San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon: 23

Placerita Canyon: 5
*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.

California Monday

The California Department of Public Health released the most recent statistics Monday on COVID-19 and updates on the state’s pandemic response.

Cases

Cases, hospitalizations and deaths are largely occurring among unvaccinated populations. See the data for unvaccinated and vaccinated cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

– Unvaccinated people were 7.1 times more likely to get COVID-19 (data from Nov. 28, 2021 to Dec. 4, 2021).

– Unvaccinated people were 12.8 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 (data from Nov. 21, 2021 to Nov. 27, 2021).

– Unvaccinated people were 15.8 times more likely to die from COVID-19 (data from Nov. 14, 2021 to Nov. 20, 2021).

Vaccinations

– 62,762,797 total vaccines administered.

– 78.4% of the eligible population (5+) has been vaccinated with at least one dose.

– 189,079 people a day are receiving COVID-19 vaccination (average daily dose count over 7 days).

Cases

– California has 4,935,461 confirmed cases to date.

– Monday’s average case count is 5,296 (average daily case count over 7 days).

Testing

– The testing positivity rate is 2.8% (average rate over 7 days).

Hospitalizations

– There are 3,854 hospitalizations statewide.

– There are 971 ICU patients statewide.

Deaths

– There have been 75,167 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

– COVID-19 claims the lives of 44 Californians each day (average daily death count over 7 days).

Indoor Mask Mandate Reinstated

Since Thanksgiving, the statewide seven-day average case rate has increased by almost half (47%) and hospitalizations have increased by 14%. In response to the increase in cases and hospitalizations, and to slow the spread of both Delta and the highly transmissible Omicron variant, CDPH has issued updated guidance to curb the spread of COVID-19 and its variants.

Beginning Dec. 15, CDPH will require masks to be worn in all indoor public settings irrespective of vaccine status through Jan.15, 2022, at which point California will make further recommendations as needed in response to the pandemic. For more information, click [here].

Omicron Variant

CDPH issued a statement on the Omicron variant on November 28, 2021. For more information about the variant, see the Omicron variant fact sheet.

Testing Turnaround Time

The testing turnaround time dashboard reports how long California patients are waiting for COVID-19 test results. During the week of Dec. 5 to Dec. 11, the average time patients waited for test results was 1.1 days. During this same time period, 71% of patients received test results in one day and 97% received them within two days.

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

As of Dec. 13, there have been 740 cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) reported statewide. 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.

Keep California Healthy
Protect yourself, family, friends and your community by following these prevention measures:

– Get vaccinated when it’s your turn. Californians age 16+ are eligible to make an appointment.

– If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches), call your health care provider.

– If you believe you have been exposed, get tested. Free, confidential testing is available statewide.

– Keep gatherings small and outdoors and follow state and local public health guidance.

– Wear a mask and get the most out of masking – an effective mask has both good fit and good filtration.

– Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

– Delay non-essential travel outside of California until you are fully vaccinated. Follow California’s travel advisory.

– Avoid close contact with people who are sick and stay home from work and school if you feel ill.

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

– Answer the call or text if a contact tracer from the CA COVID Team or your local health department tries to connect.

Additional data and udpates:

Tracking COVID-19 in California

State Dashboard – Daily COVID-19 data

County Map – Local data, including tier status and ICU capacity

Data and Tools – Models and dashboards for researchers, scientists, and the public

Blueprint for a Safer Economy– Data for establishing tier status

COVID-19 Race & Ethnicity Data – Weekly updated Race & Ethnicity data

Cases and Deaths by Age Group – Weekly updated Deaths by Age Group data

Health Equity Dashboard – See how COVID-19 highlights existing inequities in health

Tracking Variants – Data on the variants California is currently monitoring

Safe Schools for All Hub – Information about safe in-person instruction

School Districts Reopening Map – data on public schools and reported outbreaks

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:

– Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

– California Department of Public Health

– Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

– Spanish

– World Health Organization

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

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.

For more information about what Californians can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) in California.

California continues to issue guidance on preparing and protecting California from COVID-19. Consolidated guidance is available on the California Department of Public Health’s Guidance webpage.