The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed Tuesday 288 new deaths, including two additional deaths at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, and 11,994 new cases of COVID-19, with 20,338 total cases in the Santa Clarita Valley.

To date, Public Health identified 944,319 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 12,674 deaths.

The county is experiencing horrific loss of life due to COVID-19. Over the last seven days, 1,606 people lost their lives and this is an average of nearly 230 deaths per day.

Of the 288 new deaths reported today, 100 people that passed away were over the age of 80, 106 people who died were between the ages of 65 and 79, 61 people who died were between the ages of 50 and 64, 17 people who died were between the ages of 30 and 49, and two people who died were between the ages of 18 and 29. One death was reported by the city of Pasadena.

There are 7,926 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized and 22% of these people are in the ICU. While the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 each day has stabilized over the last few days at slightly under 8,000 patients, the demand on our healthcare system and hospitals remains overwhelming.

The risk of acquiring and spreading COVID-19 continues to be elevated in L.A. County and businesses and employers play a key role in preventing and slowing the spread of COVID-19 within the workplace and community. All employers and businesses must follow Health Officer Orders and Public Health protocols that are in place to prevent unnecessary spread.

California Tuesday Snapshot
Statewide, the California Department of Public Health confirmed a total of 2,747,288 cases, with 30,513 deaths from the disease. There are 21,747 confirmed hospitalizations and 4,854 ICU hospitalizations in California.

Numbers may not represent true day-over-day change as reporting of test results can be delayed.

There were 36,487 newly recorded confirmed cases Monday.

The 7-day positivity rate is 13.5% and the 14-day positivity rate is 13.5%.

There have been 36,508,384 tests conducted in California. This represents an increase of 337,856 during the prior 24-hour reporting period.

As case numbers continue to rise in California, the total number of individuals who will have serious outcomes will also increase.

As of Jan. 11, a total of 816,673 vaccine doses have been administered statewide. As of Jan. 11, a total of 2,466,125 vaccine doses, which includes the first and second dose, have been shipped to local health departments and health care systems that have facilities in multiple counties.

Note: Monday’s news release reported the number of doses ordered instead of the number of doses shipped. That error has been corrected in Tuesday’s number.

Health Care Worker Infection Rates
As of Jan. 11, local health departments have reported 76,286 confirmed positive cases in health care workers and 288 deaths statewide.

Santa Clarita Valley Tuesday Update
As of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, the L.A. County Public Health dashboard, recorded 140 deaths among Santa Clarita Valley residents since the pandemic began, but had not yet included the most recent deaths reported by Henry Mayo.

Of the 149 SCV residents who have died, 120 lived in Santa Clarita, 6 in Castaic, 5 in Acton, 3 in unincorporated Canyon Country, 3 in Stevenson Ranch, 1 in Agua Dulce, 1 in unincorporated Bouquet Canyon, 1 in Val Verde, and 9 in communities not yet named.

Of the 20,338 cases reported to Public Health for the SCV to date, the community breakdown is as follows:

City of Santa Clarita: 14,614

Castaic: 3,173 (includes Pitchess Detention Center and North County Correctional Facility*)

Stevenson Ranch: 778

Canyon Country (unincorporated portion): 593

Acton: 332

Val Verde: 225

Agua Dulce: 170

Valencia (unincorporated portion west of I-5): 129

Saugus (unincorporated portion): 101

Newhall (Unincorporated portion): 57

Elizabeth Lake: 53

Lake Hughes: 33

Bouquet Canyon: 32

Saugus/Canyon Country: 27

San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon: 11

Sand Canyon: 10

*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.

Henry Mayo Tuesday Update
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital reported 2 additional deaths Tuesday bringing the total to 94, according to hospital 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.

In the month of November, 8 COVID-19 patients died at Henry Mayo. In December, four times that many people — 34 — died at the hospital, Moody said, an average of more than one death per day.

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

Due to issues technical issues Moody said only partial set of data was available Tuesday:

1 test pending

98 in dedicated units receiving ICU-level care

827 discharged

On Monday, of the 16,230 people tested for COVID-19 at Henry Mayo to date, 2,921 tested positive, 19,184 were negative, 3 were pending, 98 patients were hospitalized in dedicated units receiving ICU-level care and a total of 809 COVID-19 patients have been treated and discharged so far, Moody said.

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

Due to staffing shortages and a large number of COVID-19 patient admissions, Henry Mayo recently issued a “code triage” alert and put out a call for nurses and doctors to fill open staff positions.

L.A. County

Public Health’s compliance teams continue to visit businesses across the County every day. Inspectors review the requirements of the Health Officer Order and Public Health protocols with business owners, identify deficiencies, and issue citations for businesses out of compliance. During Public Health’s most recent business compliance checks, inspectors noted that the majority of businesses visited were in compliance with most of the Public Health protocols. However, some businesses failed to adhere to capacity limits, ensure employees and patrons were appropriately distanced and wearing required face coverings, and did not post their completed protocol checklists. From January 3 through January 11, a total of 83 citations were issued to businesses including restaurants, gyms, personal care salons, hair salons/barbershops, places of worship, and shopping malls for noncompliance with Health Officer Orders. Since the end of August, a total of 613 citations have been issued. For businesses that remain out of compliance, citations may be issued for up to $1000 per occurrence.

Businesses that are not adhering to safety protocols to protect workers and customers contribute to increased risk for COVID-19 spread. A list of non-compliant businesses that received citations can be found online.

Public Health encourages businesses to take advantage of the COVID-19 Safety Compliance Certification Program. The program provides business owners and employees the opportunity to take a free online training about COVID-19 infection control protocols and allows businesses to self-certify that they are fully implementing protocols in compliance with infection control and physical distancing requirements. To date, a total of 19,052 employees and employers have completed the training.

“Our hearts go out to every person experiencing the sorrow of losing a loved one to COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “Please do not underestimate this virus or let your drive to interact in person with friends outweigh following the safety measures that are put in place to save lives. Like many residents, I am cheering for the Rams in the playoffs and grateful to be able to watch basketball games again, but we cannot make the same mistakes we did last year. There were far too many gatherings, viewing parties, and celebrations with others that contributed to increased cases; the outcome will be disastrous to our healthcare system if we don’t follow the rules.”

Everyone must stay home as much as possible during this devastating surge. When you must leave your home for essential services, wear a face covering and stay at least 6 feet away from people you do not live with at all times; there should be no mingling, no crowding, and ample opportunities to sanitize your hands. If you live with people who are older or have underlying health conditions, Public Health advises wearing a face covering while indoors as well.

You must isolate immediately from your family and others if you have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19. Individuals with underlying health conditions and those that are older should remain in their home and not be around others unless seeking essential health and dental care. If you are having severe symptoms including difficulty breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, inability to wake or stay awake and/or bluish lips or face, go to an emergency room or call 911.

Testing results are available for nearly 5,048,000 individuals with 18% of people testing positive.

The 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 Tuesday

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released the most recent statistics on COVID-19 Tuesday, including data on intensive care unit (ICU) capacity across the state. Based on four-week ICU projections, the Greater Sacramento region can immediately exit the Regional Stay at Home Order. Counties within that region will return to the tiering system and rules under the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.

Projected ICU capacity remains below 15% in the Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley and Southern California regions which will remain under the Regional Stay at Home Order. The order will be lifted for a region once its four-week ICU projection shows a capacity of greater than or equal to 15%.

Current Available ICU Capacity by Region

Bay Area: 4.7%

Greater Sacramento: 9.4%

Northern California: 17.6%

San Joaquin Valley: 0.0%

Southern California: 0.0%

Current Status of Regional Stay at Home Order in Affected Regions

Bay Area: Remains under order. Projected four-week ICU capacity does not meet criteria to exit the order.

Greater Sacramento: Exits order on January 12.

San Joaquin Valley: Remains under order. Projected four-week ICU capacity does not meet criteria to exit the order.

Southern California: Remains under order. Projected four-week ICU capacity does not meet criteria to exit the order.

ICU capacity projections for regions that are eligible to exit the order are calculated daily based on four factors: current estimated regional ICU capacity available, measure of current community transmission, current regional case rates and the proportion of ICU cases being admitted. Decreasing community transmission and increasing the health system capacity can help a region’s projected ICU capacity so they can exit the order.

Due to high rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations impacting the health care system, California is also under a Limited Stay at Home Order. The order applies to all counties that are currently under the Regional Stay at Home Order and those in Tier One (Purple) of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The Limited Stay at Home Order will expire after the Regional Stay At Home Order has been terminated in all regions of the state.

See region map. Read the full Regional Stay at Home Order, Supplement to the Order, and frequently asked questions.

Updated Travel Advisory
CDPH has issued an updated travel advisory. Except in connection with essential travel, Californians should avoid non-essential travel to any part of California more than 120 miles from one’s place of residence, or to other states or countries. Avoiding travel reduces the risk of virus transmission, including by reducing the risk that new sources of infection and, potentially, new virus strains will be introduced to California. 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.

Safe Schools for All Plan
Gov. Newsom released his California’s Safe Schools for All plan, California’s framework to support schools to continue operating safely in person and to expand the number of schools safely resuming in-person instruction.

Vaccinate All 58
The COVID-19 shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine has arrived in California, and additional shipments will continue to arrive throughout this week. The first doses are being administered to health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities. The state is working closely with community partners and stakeholders to help ensure the vaccine is distributed and administered equitably across California. For more information, visit the CDPH COVID-19 Vaccine webpage and Vaccinate All 58.

Blueprint for a Safer Economy

Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, a statewide plan for reducing COVID-19 and keeping Californians healthy and safe. The plan 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.

New Testing Turnaround Time Dashboard
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 Dec. 27 – Jan. 2, the average time patients waited for test results was 1.4 days. During this same time period, 60% of patients received test results in one day and 87% received them within two days.

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.

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)
As of Jan. 11, 167 cases Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) have been 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.

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 is critical to preventing long-term complications.

New 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 that tracks California’s health equity measure and data by race and ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Racial Demographics – A More Complete Picture
The California Department of Public Health is committed to health equity and collecting more detailed racial and ethnic data that will provide additional understanding for determining future action. Health outcomes are affected by forces including structural racism, poverty and the disproportionate prevalence of underlying conditions such as asthma and heart disease among Latinos and African American Californians. Only by looking at the full picture can we understand how to ensure the best outcomes for all Californians.

The differences in health outcomes related to COVID-19 are most stark in COVID-19 deaths. We have nearly complete data on race and ethnicity for COVID-19 deaths, and we are seeing the following trends: Latinos, African Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are dying at disproportionately higher levels. 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.

Popular links include:

– 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)

Your Actions Save Lives
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 and following local and state public health guidelines when visiting businesses that are open.

– Following the Limited Stay at Home Order that requires allnon-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.

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.