The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed Thursday 26 new deaths and 1,088 new cases of COVID-19 countywide, with 38,586 total cases in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Note: The Delta variant emerged in late May, quickly dominated the scene and remains the predominate variant detected among our residents; accounts for 100% of cases sequenced.

Of the 26 new deaths reported Thursday, eight people who passed away were over the age of 80, 11 people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79, four people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64, two people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49, and one person who died was between the ages of 18 and 29.

To date, Public Health has identified 1,515,324 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 26,949 deaths.

While the death rate among vaccinated people remains nearly flat, deaths among unvaccinated people are hovering in a range between 7 and 13 deaths per 100,000 people. On Oct. 30, the risk of death was 70 times higher among unvaccinated people than among those who had been vaccinated.

There are 616 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized, 25% of whom are in the ICU. The County continues to see a steep rise in hospitalization rates among unvaccinated people, while rates among vaccinated people remain stable and low. Unvaccinated people now have 67 times the risk of hospitalizations of vaccinated people – this is a staggering difference.

The County’s daily average case rate, with a 3-day lag, is now almost 9 cases per 100,000 people, a small increase from last week’s 3-day-lagged case rate of eight cases per 100,000. CDC’s estimation of the County’s weekly case rate is now 81 new cases per 100,000 residents, reflecting continued substantial transmission across the county. Unvaccinated people have nine times the risk of infection compared to those vaccinated.

With transmission still at the substantial level in L.A. County, schools continue to work hard to remain as safe as possible for in-person learning. Public Health monitors case and close contact numbers among staff and students to stay aware of any new areas of concern.

Last week the County saw 500 student cases and more than 2,500 student close contacts. Among staff, there were about 100 cases and 100 close contacts. These case numbers represent continued declines in cases identified across all school districts: there was a 45% decline in student cases and a 47% decline in staff cases from the prior week. Test positivity remains at 0.2% among students and staff being tested, with 0.2% identified as close contacts.

**More from Los Angeles County Public Health further below**

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 Thursday

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital currently has zero tests pending, 11 patients in the hospital, and a total of 1,639 patients who have been treated and discharged since the pandemic began, and no additional deaths, spokesman Patrick Moody said Thursday.

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 Thursday Update
The L.A. County Public Health dashboard was having technical problems as of deadline Thursday. However, as of Wednesday, the dashboard recorded a total of 354 COVID-19 deaths in the Santa Clarita Valley to date.

The following is the community breakdown of the 354 SCV residents who have died, according to the L.A. County dashboard:

297 in Santa Clarita

21 in Castaic

10 in Acton

8 in Stevenson Ranch

6 in unincorporated Canyon Country

3 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

Of the 38,586 cases reported to Public Health for the SCV to date, the community breakdown is as follows:

City of Santa Clarita: 28,298

* Castaic: 4,606

Stevenson Ranch: 1,853

Canyon Country (unincorporated portion): 1,216

Acton: 805

Val Verde: 447

Agua Dulce: 426

Valencia (unincorporated portion west of I-5): 312

Saugus (unincorporated portion): 175

Elizabeth Lake: 126

Bouquet Canyon: 75

Lake Hughes: 71

Newhall (Unincorporated portion): 70

Saugus/Canyon Country: 55

Sand Canyon: 24

San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon: 22

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.

L.A. County

“We extend our prayers for healing and comfort to everyone who has lost loved ones, friends or co-workers to this virus,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “As we continue to take important steps to protect ourselves for the holiday season, it is sensible to assume that living with the continued circulation of the virus requires we stay focused on the shared goal of protecting the most vulnerable by keeping transmission as low as possible. We will need to normalize vaccination, continue masking in higher risk settings, and to isolate and quarantine when appropriate.”

Anyone five years and older living or working in L.A. County can get vaccinated. 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 where first, second, and third doses are available.

To find a vaccination site near you, to make an appointment at vaccination sites, and much more, Visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) and www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish) If you don’t have internet access, can’t use a computer, or you’re over 65, you can call 1-833-540-0473 for help finding an appointment or scheduling a home-visit if you are homebound. Vaccinations are always free and open to eligible residents and workers regardless of immigration status.

County Reopening Protocols, COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, Roadmap to Recovery, Recovery Dashboard, and additional actions you can take to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

California Thursday

The California Department of Public Health released the most recent statistics on COVID-19 Thursday and updates on the state’s pandemic response. The most up to date data is available on the state’s COVID-19 data dashboard.

Statewide COVID-19 Data

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 6.9 times more likely to get COVID-19 (data from October 31, 2021 to November 6, 2021).

– Unvaccinated people were 11.9 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 (data from October 24, 2021 to October 30, 2021).

– Unvaccinated people were 16.5 times more likely to die from COVID-19 (data from October 17, 2021 to October 23, 2021).

Vaccinations

– 56,326,416 total vaccines administered.

– 75% of the eligible population (5+) has been vaccinated with at least one dose.

– 182,226 people a day are receiving COVID-19 vaccination (average daily dose count over 7 days).

Cases

– California has 4,752,970 confirmed cases to date.

– Thursday’s average case count is 4,797 (average daily case count over 7 days).

Testing

– The testing positivity rate is 2.4% (average rate over 7 days).

Hospitalizations

– There are 3,699 hospitalizations statewide.

– There are 950 ICU patients statewide.

Deaths

– There have been 72,847 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

– COVID-19 claims the lives of 56 Californians each day (average daily death count over 7 days).

Testing Turnaround Time

The testing turnaround time dashboard reports how long California patients are waiting for COVID-19 test results. During the week of Oct. 31 to Nov. 6, the average time patients waited for test results was 1.0 day. During this same time period, 85% of patients received test results in one day and 97% received them within two days.

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

As of Nov. 15, there have been 704 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.