The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed Thursday 24 new deaths and 20,198 new cases of COVID-19 countywide, with 43,358 total cases in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Thursday’s positive case count of 20,198 is more than triple the number of cases reported last week. Numerous major COVID-19 metrics are surging across L.A. County, including cases, hospitalizations, outbreaks, and positivity rate.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates L.A. County’s weekly case rate is up nearly fourfold to 724 new cases per 100,000 residents, with continued very high transmission countywide.

There are 1,251 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19, a 67% increase from one week ago when 801 people were hospitalized with COVID-19.

There are currently 494 open outbreak investigations at residential congregate settings and non-residential settings with at least 1 confirmed case of COVID-19. This is a ten-fold increase over the number of investigations we had open at this time last week.

The daily positivity rate has also doubled in the last week, increasing from 10.9% to 20.4%.

Data is by date reported by DPH, but does not necessarily represent the date of testing, hospitalization, or death.

1 – Number reflects an undercount due to a lag from holiday or weekend reporting.

2 – Numbers do not include Long Beach and Pasadena.

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 four tests pending, 27 patients in the hospital, a total of 1,726 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 Thursday Update
As of 6:30 p.m. Thursday, the L.A. County Public Health dashboard remains unchanged as of Tuesday, with a total number of 376 COVID-19 deaths to date in the Santa Clarita Valley.

The following is the community breakdown of the 376 SCV residents who have died, according to the L.A. County dashboard:

310 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

Of the 43,358 cases reported to Public Health for the SCV to date, the community breakdown is as follows:

Santa Clarita: 31,893

Castaic: 4,941

Stevenson Ranch: 2,205

Canyon Country (unincorporated portion): 1,409

Acton: 915

Val Verde: 481

Agua Dulce: 470

Valencia (unincorporated portion west of I-5): 366

Saugus (unincorporated portion): 197

Elizabeth Lake: 133

Bouquet Canyon: 92

Lake Hughes: 78

Newhall (Unincorporated portion): 70

Saugus/Canyon Country: 55

Sand Canyon: 25

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.

Public Health Urges Residents to Avoid Risky Gatherings This Holiday

“As we head into 2022, my heart and prayers are with all those who are experiencing unimaginable pain after losing a loved one to COVID,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “With cases skyrocketing and hospitalizations also rising, many of us are anxious and worried about getting infected or infecting others. While the explosive increases in cases indicate very high community transmission, we do have tools to protect ourselves and each other. And while not perfect, vaccines are keeping most of us who are fully vaccinated from experiencing severe illness. The most recent county data shows that even with increased circulation of Omicron, vaccinated residents are 20 times less likely to be hospitalized and 18 times less likely to die from COVID than those who are unvaccinated. This is powerful protection that can help all of us move forward united in our effort to end the pandemic in 2022.”

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.

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and are recommended for everyone 5 years old 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.

To find a vaccination site near you, or to make an appointment, please visit:

www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) or www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish).

California Thursday

As of deadline Thursday, the California Department of Public Health released the following data:

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.