The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Wednesday reported 36 new deaths and 3,944 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 countywide as officials prepare to modify the county Health Officer Order to combat surges in transmission and hospitalizations.

Of the new cases, 114 of them are in the Santa Clarita Valley, and of those, 92 in the city of Santa Clarita.

The SCV has now tallied 8,491 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 80 deaths from the virus since March 11, when the World Health Organization declared the pandemic.

To date, Public Health has counted 7,335 confirmed COVID-19 deaths and 348,336 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. county. Upon further investigation, 131 cases reported earlier were not county residents.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to everyone who is experiencing the sorrow of losing a loved one or friend to COVID-19. We wish you comfort and healing during this very difficult time,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health.

There are 1,188 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 countywide; 27% of the patients are in the ICU. On November 1, the average daily number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 was 791.

Testing results are available for more than 3,440,000 individuals with 9% of all people testing positive. L.A. County’s test positivity rate, or the percentage of tests that come back positive, has increased from an average of about 5.1% on November 8 to about 7.1% today. For comparison, the test positivity rate was 3.9% on November 1.

The county Health Officer Order will be modified with an effective date of Friday, November 20 to reduce the possibility for crowding and reduce the potential for exposures in settings where people are not always wearing their face coverings in an effort to prevent more cases, increased hospitalizations and more deaths.

Read more about the restrictions to take effect Friday.

See more L.A. County updates later in this report.

California Wednesday Snapshot

Statewide, as of Tuesday, November 17, the California Department of Public Health confirmed a total of 1,047,789 COVID-19 cases (up 9,811), with 18,360 deaths from the disease (up 61) since the pandemic began.

There are 4,309 confirmed hospitalizations and 1,148 ICU hospitalizations in the state, continuing an upward trend.

California’s 7-day positivity rate is 5.3% and the 14-day positivity rate is 4.8%, continuing a sharp upward trend.

As case numbers continue to rise statewide, the number of patients who will have serious outcomes will also increase.

As of November 17, local health departments have reported 47,080 confirmed positive cases in healthcare workers and 211 deaths statewide.

There have been 21,418,543 tests COVID-19 tests conducted in California, an increase of 159,467 over the prior 24-hour reporting period.

Numbers do not represent true day-over-day change as these results include cases from prior to yesterday.

See more California info later in this report.

Screencap from the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering COVID-19 dashboard, showing COVID cases in the United States as of Wednesday afternoon, November 18, 2020.

COVID Worldwide: 56 Million People Infected, 1/4th of Cases in USA

Worldwide, 56,075,527 people have been infected by COVID-19 while 1,345,851 people have died of the virus as of 1:25 p.m. Wednesday Pacific Time, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

More than 11,486,176 Americans have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Hospitalizations are at record levels. The number of people in the U.S. who have died due to the virus has surpassed 250,029.

With 4.25% of the world’s population (328.2 million) and more than 20% of the confirmed COVID-19 cases, the U.S. also continues to lead the world in deaths.

By comparison, Brazil (population 209.5 million) is No. 2 in deaths with 166,699. India (population 1.353 billion) is No. 2 in cases, with 8,912,907 confirmed cases and 130,993 deaths as of Wednesday afternoon.

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Wednesday Update
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital releases complete statistics weekly, generally on Wednesdays, unless a new death occurs, according to hospital spokesman Patrick Moody.

As of Wednesday, November 18, of the 11,502 people tested at Henry Mayo to date, 1,188 tested positive, 13,932 were negative, 10 were pending, 20 patients were hospitalized in a dedicated unit receiving ICU-level care (one fewer than last week), a total of 348 COVID-19 patients have been treated and discharged so far, Moody said.

The number of patients who died at the hospital due to COVID-19 stands at 35, he confirmed.

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

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 is generally 48 hours behind.

Henry Mayo Prepared for Surge

Responding to residents inquiring about bed space at Henry Mayo, Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Nurse Executive Larry R. Kidd, Ph.D. said the hospital is prepared to manage a developing surge in COVID-19 patients.

“We are constantly monitoring our COVID patient census. We are confident in our ability to care for an increase in patients should it occur, as, if necessary, we can prepare additional rooms for these patients,” Kidd said in a statement Wednesday.

“Furthermore, we participate in a statewide hospital network that helps direct patients to hospitals where beds are available. Collectively we are prepared to manage a surge in patients should we experience one,” he said.

“That said, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of continuing to take proven, effective, common-sense precautions, such as wearing masks, frequent handwashing, social distancing, and only going out when necessary,” Kidd said.

“The best way to ensure an adequate supply of hospital beds is to limit the spread of the virus,” he said.

Santa Clarita Valley Wednesday Update

As of 8 p.m. Monday, November 16, the latest update to its COVID-19 data dashboard, L.A. County Public Health reported a total of 80 deaths in the Santa Clarita Valley since the pandemic began.

Of those 80 SCV residents who have died, 65 lived in Santa Clarita, 6 in Castaic, 3 in Acton, 3 in Stevenson Ranch, 1 in unincorporated Bouquet Canyon, 1 in Val Verde, and 1 in unincorporated Valencia, according to the data dashboard.

Of the 8,491 confirmed COVID-19 cases reported to Public Health for the SCV to date, the community breakdown is as follows:

City of Santa Clarita: 5,303

Castaic: 2,288 (includes Pitchess Detention Center and North County Correctional Facility*)

Stevenson Ranch: 249

Canyon Country (unincorporated portion): 196

Val Verde: 113

Acton: 98

Valencia (unincorporated portion west of I-5): 57

Agua Dulce: 55

Saugus (unincorporated portion): 45

Newhall (Unincorporated portion): 31

Bouquet Canyon: 15

Saugus/Canyon Country: 12

Elizabeth Lake: 10

Sand Canyon: 7

Lake Hughes: 9

San Francisquito/Bouquet Canyon: 3

*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.

Restrictions Designed to Save Lives

“COVID-19 is relentless, and we have seen other communities and states who have few or no restrictions see devastating numbers of people becoming seriously ill and passing away,” said L.A. County Public Health’s Barbara Ferrer.

“In Utah, the current case rate is currently over 1,200 per 100,000 people,” she said. “In Indiana, the rate is 1,100 per 100,000 people. In California, the rate is around 250 per 100,000 people.

“I think we should each ask ourselves and those we care about to commit to making those changes that we know prevent a great deal of suffering and death from COVID-19,” Ferrer said. “Change any plans for indoor gatherings that involve people not in your households. Avoid all activities where there will be crowds and where it is hard to maintain a distance of six feet from others. Wear face coverings inside and outside if you are with people who are older or who have underlying health conditions. And make sure to follow all the rules at businesses, worksites and retail establishments.”

Thanksgiving Stay-brations Recommended

“The best way to celebrate Thanksgiving this year is to stay home and celebrate with people who live in your household,” Ferrer said.

“Connect with friends and family you don’t live with using all of the technology that allows us to see and hear each other from afar,” she said. “If you do choose to gather, closely follow the guidance for private gatherings. Gather outdoors with no more than two other households, and no more than 15 people; wear face coverings unless eating or drinking and stay at least 6 feet apart. Limit the gathering to no more than two hours and do not share food or utensils.

Read the CDC’s latest guidelines for holiday celebrations and gatherings here.

More L.A. County Demographics: Age

Of the 36 new deaths reported Wednesday, 16 people who died were over the age of 80 years old, nine people were between 65 and 79 years old, eight people were between 50 and 64 years old, and two people were between 30 and 49 years old.

Twenty-eight people who died had underlying health conditions including 12 people over the age of 80, 9 people between 65 and 79 years old, seven people between 50 and 64 years old, and one person between 30 and 49 years old. One death was reported by the city of Pasadena.

Ninety-three percent of the people who have died from COVID-19 to date had underlying health conditions. Hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes are the most common underlying health conditions among people hospitalized with COVID-19. Many people have multiple underlying health conditions.

Cases by Age Group (Los Angeles County only — excluding Long Beach and Pasadena)
When compared to other age groups, residents 80 years old and older are bearing the largest burden of serious illness.

This is most unfortunate and serves as a stark reminder that young people are driving the surge of the virus’s spread with disastrous results for our elderly.

In the last month, the case rate for residents age 18 to 29 years old has more than doubled, from 11.5 cases per 100,000 people to 25 cases per 100,000 people.

The second-highest group, residents ages 30 through 49 years old, has nearly doubled from 9.4 cases to 18 cases per 100,000 people.

* 0 to 4 5990

* 5 to 11 12941

* 12 to 17 15924

* 18 to 29 82526

* 30 to 49 112881

* 50 to 64 62955

* 65 to 79 24671

* over 80 10684

* Under Investigation 2117

More L.A. County Demographics: Race/Ethnicity

Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 6,920 people (99 percent of the cases reported by Public Health); 52% of deaths occurred among Latino/Latinx residents, 23% among White residents, 14% among Asian residents, 10% among African American/Black residents, less than 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other races.

Additionally, Pacific Islanders, Latino/Latinx residents and African American/Black residents consistently have the highest rate of hospitalizations across age groups.

While we made progress narrowing the gaps, as cases surge, we are beginning to see some higher rates of disproportionality.

After the July surge through mid-September, we saw the gap between Latino/Latinx residents and other residents begin to close. At its lowest point, Latino/Latinx residents had case rates that were less than two times that of white residents.

However, since mid-September, Latino/Latinx residents are experiencing case rates that are about two times that of White and African American/Black residents. Asian residents continue to have the lowest case rates.

During the July and August peak, the rates of hospitalization among Latino/Latinx residents was 30 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, three times that of white residents.

This gap slowly closed from July through mid-September, when the hospitalization rate for Latino/Latinx residents fell to about 8 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, two times the rate of hospitalization for white residents.

As of November 7, Latino/Latinx residents are now back up to almost 10.5 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, over two times the rate of white residents at 3.8 hospitalizations per 100,000 people.

We are seeing a downward trend in deaths across racial and ethnic groups, which has also brought a closing of the gap between the highest-income areas and the lowest income areas. On November 8, the death rate for the lowest income areas was 1.5 deaths per 100,000 people, slightly more than two times that of the highest income areas.

It is encouraging to see the downward trends in deaths and closing of this gap; at the same time, we know that we are experiencing another surge in cases in the county, are aware that this could end up having devastating impacts on death rates, and worry that once again African American/Black and Latino/Latinx residents will be at highest risk.

L.A. County Public Health’s 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 Blueprint for a Safer Economy

Governor Gavin Newsom’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy 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.

California Testing
More than 85 community testing sites offer free, confidential testing: Find a COVID-19 Testing Site.

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 November 1 to November 7, the average time patients waited for test results was 1.3 days. During this same time period, 63 percent of patients received test results in 1 day and 89 percent received them within 2 days. The testing turnaround time dashboard (PDF) is updated weekly.

All four tiers in the Testing Prioritization Guidance originally dated July 14, 2020, will have equal priority for testing.

California Demographics

Overall, for adults 18 and older, Latinos, African Americans and Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are dying at disproportionately higher levels.

The proportion of COVID-19 deaths in African Americans is more than one-and-a-half times their population representation across all adult age categories. For Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, overall numbers are low, but almost double between the proportion of COVID-19 deaths and their population representation.

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.

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)

Each week, the California Department of Public Health updates the number of cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) reported in the state.

As of November 16, 129 cases of MIS-C have been reported statewide, two more than the previous week.

To protect patient confidentiality in counties with fewer than 11 cases, CDPH is not providing total counts at this time.

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 are critical to preventing long-term complications.

Protect Yourself and Your Family

Every person has a role to play. Protecting yourself and your family comes down to common sense:

* Staying home except for essential needs/activities following local and state public health guidelines when patronizing approved businesses. To the extent that sectors are re-opened, Californians may leave their homes to work at, patronize, or otherwise engage with those businesses, establishments or activities.

* Practicing social distancing

* 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

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.

It’s important if someone thinks they could be positive for COVID-19 and are awaiting testing results to stay at home and act as if they are positive. This means self-isolating for 10 days and 72 hours after symptoms and fever subside.

If a person tests positive for COVID-19, they should plan on receiving a call from a public health specialist to discuss how to protect themselves and others, find out where they may have been, and who they were in close contact with while infectious.

California COVID-19 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.

* 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)

Consolidated guidance is available on the California Department of Public Health’s Guidance webpage.

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Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus (COVID-19):

* Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

* California Department of Public Health

* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

* Spanish

* World Health Organization

* Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Dashboard

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

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