The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed 12 new deaths throughout L.A. County, 4,327 new cases countywide and 84 new cases in the Santa Clarita Valley.

This new data brings Los Angeles County death totals to 32,549, county case totals to 3,230,019 and Santa Clarita Valley case totals to 84,753, with 483 total SCV deaths from COVID-19 since March of 2020.

There are 1,299 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for more than 12,278,834 individuals, with 23% of people testing positive.

Of the 12 new deaths reported today, one person was between the ages of 30-49, four people were between the ages of 65-79, and seven people were aged 80 years or older. Of the 12 newly reported deaths, 11 had underlying health conditions.

Today’s positivity rate is 16.5%.

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

As BA.5 Fuels Increase in COVID Metrics, Residents in Areas of High Poverty Hospitalized at a Faster Rate

The highly infectious BA.5 subvariant is fueling the rapid spread of COVID, leading to increases in Los Angeles County cases, hospitalizations and deaths, with residents in areas of high poverty being hospitalized at a higher rate. In L.A. County, the Omicron variant continues to account for 100% of the county’s sequenced specimens, with BA.5 dominating, representing 48% of all sequenced specimens.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also estimates that, across the country, as of the week ending July 9, the BA.5 subvariants of Omicron accounted for nearly 70% of specimens, a considerable increase from the 40% just two weeks prior. In both the national data and LA County data, BA.5 continues to outcompete the BA.2 subvariant and its sublineages and is increasing at a faster rate than the BA.4 subvariant.

With the highly infectious BA.5 subvariant increasing in L.A. County, the number of daily new cases continues to rise. Over the last seven days, the average number of daily new cases reported was 6,742, a 24% increase from two weeks ago when the average number of daily new cases reported was 5,425. Additionally, the test positivity rate has now increased to 16.5%.

After weeks of high case numbers fueled by this highly infectious COVID strain, the number of people severely ill and needing to be hospitalized is also increasing. Over the last seven days, the average number of COVID-positive patients per day in L.A. County hospitals was 1,243, a 52% increase from two weeks ago when the 7-day average number of COVID-positive patients per day was 820. The hospital admission rate has also increased over the last two weeks. On July 13, the weekly hospital admission rate was 10.5 residents per 100,000 people, a 50% increase from two weeks prior when the rate was seven residents per 100,000 people on June 29. Of those hospitalized, on average, 42% are hospitalized with COVID-related illness.

Deaths, which typically lag hospitalizations by several weeks are also increasing, with an average of 14 deaths reported per day this past week, compared to an average of eight deaths two weeks ago.

As we align efforts across the county to protect those most vulnerable during this surge, we continue to note the disproportionate impact of COVID among some communities, including those communities with high rates of poverty.

As of July 8, hospitalization rates in the lowest income communities were 71% higher than in the highest income areas, with 20 residents per 100,000 in the lowest income communities hospitalized compared to just 12 residents per 100,000 in the highest income areas. Additionally, compared to one month ago, hospitalization rates in the lowest income areas increased 24%, while there was only a 7% increase in hospitalization rates in the highest income areas.

“I send my deepest sympathies and wishes of peace and comfort to the many families who have lost a loved one from COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “There are important steps that we can all take to reduce risk of transmission of the virus at work, when we’re out and about, and when we’re at home. While the dangers of being hospitalized and dying are much lower than they have been in the past because of vaccinations, boosters, and therapeutics, getting infected with COVID for a significant number of people can be dangerous: many of those infected experience Long-COVID, others require care from medical providers and hospitals, and tragically, a small number of people die every day. Testing and masking are two important strategies that help slow down spread. Be sure to test if you feel sick, when you have been exposed to someone with COVID, and before gathering with others, especially if there will be individuals gathering who are at higher risk. And wearing a well-fitting, high filtration mask when there is so much transmission of a variant that escapes some of the immunity we have from prior infections and/or vaccines, adds a needed layer of protection. As we enjoy summer activities and trips, let’s continue to care for each other by taking simple, practical health precautions.”

A wide range of data and dashboards on COVID-19 from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health are available on the Public Health website at http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

To keep workplaces and schools open, residents and workers are asked to:

– Get 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

– Adhere to masking requirements when indoors or at crowded outdoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status

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

For information on where you can get tested, please visit www.covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/.

For updated isolation and quarantine guidance, please visit www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

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).

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.

Schools Community Dashboard

Student Dashboard

Staff Dashboard

Santa Clarita Valley Tuesday Update
As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, the L.A. County Public Health dashboard reported no additional deaths in the city of Santa Clarita, leaving the total number of deaths from COVID-19 in the SCV at 483.

The following is the community breakdown per L.A. County’s dashboard:

Santa Clarita: 393

Castaic: 31

Acton: 17

Stevenson Ranch: 15

Unincorporated Canyon Country: 9 (revised from 10)

Agua Dulce: 6

Val Verde: 3 (revised from 4)

Valencia: 2

Unincorporated Bouquet Canyon: 2

Elizabeth Lake: 2

Newhall: 1

unincorporated Saugus/Canyon Country: 1

Lake Hughes: 1

SCV Cases

Of the 84,753 cases reported to Public Health for the SCV to date, the community breakdown is as follows:

Santa Clarita: 62,521

Castaic: 8,602

Stevenson Ranch: 4,997

Canyon Country (unincorporated portion): 3,073

Acton: 1,686

Val Verde: 934

Agua Dulce: 871

Valencia (unincorporated portion west of I-5): 806

Saugus (unincorporated portion): 376

Elizabeth Lake: 235

Bouquet Canyon: 172

Lake Hughes: 177

Saugus/Canyon Country: 103

Newhall (Unincorporated portion): 92

Sand Canyon: 53

San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon: 38

Placerita Canyon: 17

*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 Tuesday

The California Department of Public Health now updates their numbers on Tuesday and Friday. The information below is from the most recent data released Tuesday, July 19.

Vaccinations

– 78,156,577 total vaccines administered.

– 79.5% of the eligible population (5+) has been vaccinated with at least one dose.

– 35,869 people a day are receiving COVID-19 vaccination (average daily dose count over 7 days).

Cases

– California has 9,752,509 confirmed cases to date.

– Tuesday’s average case count is 19,458 (average daily case count over 7 days).

– Unvaccinated people are 5.5 times more likely to get COVID-19 than boosted individuals (June 20, 2022 – June 26, 2022).

Testing

– The testing positivity rate is 16.1% (average rate over 7 days).

Hospitalizations

– There are 4,676 hospitalizations statewide.

– There are 528 ICU patients statewide.

– Unvaccinated people are 9.4 times more likely to be hospitalized than boosted individuals (June 20, 2022 to June 26, 2022).

Deaths

– There have been 92,292 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

– COVID-19 claims the lives of 21 Californians each day (average daily death count over 7 days).

– Unvaccinated people are 8.2 times more likely to die than boosted individuals (June 13, 2022 – June 19, 2022).

Health Care Workers

As of July 14, local health departments have reported 171,143 confirmed positive cases in health care workers and 583 deaths statewide.

Testing Turnaround Time

The testing turnaround time dashboard reports how long California patients are waiting for COVID-19 test results. During the week of July 3 to July 9, the average time patients waited for test results was 0.8 day. During this same time period, 86% of patients received test results in one day and 97% received them within two days.

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

As of July 18, 2022, there have been 1,007 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.

Additional Updates

Mask Guidance: Under California’s mask guidance, universal masking is required only in specified higher risk settings like hospitals, public transit and congregate living facilities. Unvaccinated persons are required to mask in all indoor public settings. Fully vaccinated individuals are recommended to continue indoor masking when the risk may be high. Workplaces will continue to follow the COVID-19 prevention standards set by CalOSHA. Local health jurisdictions may implement requirements that are stricter than state guidance.

Slow the Spread: Get Vaccinated and Boosted for COVID-19

The risk for COVID-19 exposure and infection continues as a number of Californians remain unvaccinated and unboosted.

Real-world evidence continues to show that the vaccine is preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Public health officials urge Californians to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible.

It is recommended that every vaccinated person 12 years or older should get a booster as long as they received their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least five months ago or they received their Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months ago.

Vaccination appointments can be made by visiting myturn.ca.gov or calling 1-833-422-4255. The consent of a parent or legal guardian may be needed for those under age 18 to receive a vaccination. Visit Vaccinate All 58 to learn more about the safe and effective vaccines available for all Californians 5+.

Your Actions Save Lives

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

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.