More People Ending Up in the ICU As L.A County Hospitals Experience Ongoing Strain Due to Increases in Healthcare Worker Positive Cases - 22,688 New Positive Cases and 37 New Deaths Due to COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

With the Omicron variant continuing to spread at a rapid pace, Public Health data shows more residents are requiring treatment for severe illness in the ICU.

As of January 17^th, both the 7-day average of new admissions of people with COVID-19 and the total number of patients admitted into the ICU had increased from a week prior. New daily admissions increased by 9.5% to a total of 644 patients, up from 588 patients the week of January 11^th. Additionally, 31% of COVID confirmed patients were in the ICU, and 27% were requiring ventilation, which was also an increase from the week of January 11^th when Public Health reported 25% of COVID confirmed patients were in ICU, and 20% were requiring ventilation.

Cases among healthcare workers are also increasing, leading to staffing shortages across the healthcare system. Between January 7^th and January 13^th, Public Health reported a total of 1,268 new positive cases among healthcare workers; this is an increase of 30% from the week of December 31^st, when 973 positive cases were reported.

With Omicron leading to increasing hospitalizations and ICU admissions, vaccines continue to provide the best protection against sever illness. Between December 30, 2021, and January 12, 2022, the ICU rate ratio was 6.4 when comparing those unvaccinated vs those fully vaccinated without boosters, meaning unvaccinated people were 6 times more likely to be admitted to the ICU compared to those fully vaccinated without boosters. Residents who are vaccinated and boosted have even more protection, as they are 25 times less likely to be admitted to the ICU than those unvaccinated.

“Our hearts go out to everyone mourning the loss of a loved one as we are once more witnessing the utter misery caused by COVID with more residents facing serious illness and passing away,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “Let’s not fool ourselves by not recognizing the danger presented by the Omicron variant which is capable of spreading with lightning speed and causing serious illness among our most vulnerable residents.”

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have recognized that while many experience mild illness from COVID, there are others, who we love and need, that will not do well if they become infected,” Ferrer continued. “And while vaccines and boosters provide powerful protection, those who are older, have serious health conditions, or are immunocompromised remain at higher risk. We still don’t know the longer-term consequences from Omicron infections, including the development of long COVID or MIS-C among children. So please continue to do your part in slowing the spread of Omicron to help us keep ourselves and our loved ones healthy and out of the hospital. Wear a well-fitted medical-grade mask any time indoors or at crowded outdoor locations and curtail high-risk activities during surge. And please stay away from others if you are infected or sick. Working together to reduce infections is still an essential strategy.”

Today, Public Health confirmed 37 additional deaths and 22,688 new cases of COVID-19. The number of cases and deaths are likely to reflect reporting delays over the holiday weekend. Of the 37 new deaths reported today, three were between the ages of 30-49, five were between the ages of 50 and 64, 11 were between the ages of 65-79, and 18 were over the age of 80 years old. Of the 37 newly reported deaths, 33 had underlying conditions. To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County are 28,122.

Public Health has identified a total 2,311,568 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 16.3%.

There are 4,701 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for more than 10,695,800 individuals, with 20% of people testing positive.

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

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

Remain home when sick, isolate if positive and quarantine when in close contact.

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 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).

If you need assistance, you can also call 1-833-540-0473 for help:

Finding an appointment

Connecting to free transportation to and from a vaccination site, or

Schedule a home visit if you are homebound.

For more information regarding COVID-19 in LA County you can also visit the Public Health website at www.publichealth.lacounty.gov here you will find information on:

COVID-19 sector protocols & best practices,

COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboards, and

COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive and, Recovery Dashboards

Please see additional information below:

Cases through 12:00pm 01/17/2022
	Total Cases	NEW
Laboratory Confirmed Cases	2,311,568	22688
-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)*	2,199,480	22688
-- Long Beach	91,436	0
-- Pasadena	20,652	0
Deaths	28,122	37
-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)	26,657	37
-- Long Beach	1,088	0
-- Pasadena	377	0
Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- 0 to 4	62515
- 5 to 11	176018
- 12 to 17	178729
- 18 to 29	510728
- 30 to 49	713607
- 50 to 64	369607
- 65 to 79	140620
- over 80	46200
- Under Investigation	1456
Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- Female	1116097
- Male	1022387
- Other	871
- Under Investigation	60125
Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- American Indian/Alaska Native	3834
- Asian	122688
- Black	112289
- Hispanic/Latino	1030081
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	11028
- White	283133
- Other	226588
- Under Investigation	409839
Hospitalization (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- Hospitalized (Ever)	117117	**DATA Under reported
Deaths Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- American Indian/Alaska Native	63
- Asian	3427
- Black	2399
- Hispanic/Latino	14021
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	96
- White	6397
- Other	213
- Under Investigation	41
CITY / COMMUNITY**	Cases	Case Rate
City of Agoura Hills	2614	12517
City of Alhambra	13522	15592
City of Arcadia	6307	10920
City of Artesia	3389	20179
City of Avalon	50	1292
City of Azusa	11328	22638
City of Baldwin Park	19426	25304
City of Bell	11042	30392
City of Bell Gardens	11577	26879
City of Bellflower	19245	24757
City of Beverly Hills	6796	19687
City of Bradbury	53	4958
City of Burbank	18288	17063
City of Calabasas	3175	13053
City of Carson	20953	22327
City of Cerritos	6720	13422
City of Claremont	4833	13247
City of Commerce*	3689	28227
City of Compton	27478	27504
City of Covina	12212	24906
City of Cudahy	8039	33018
City of Culver City	5943	14908
City of Diamond Bar	7161	12451
City of Downey	29864	26136
City of Duarte	4246	19286
City of El Monte	26874	22917
City of El Segundo	2318	13809
City of Gardena	13204	21536
City of Glendale	37328	18077
City of Glendora	9658	18304
City of Hawaiian Gardens	3458	23562
City of Hawthorne	19145	21563
City of Hermosa Beach	2821	14342
City of Hidden Hills	218	11534
City of Huntington Park	17948	30173
City of Industry	269	61556
City of Inglewood	25114	22111
City of Irwindale	456	31254
City of La Canada Flintridge	2337	11294
City of La Habra Heights	150	2750
City of La Mirada	8487	17111
City of La Puente	10428	25624
City of La Verne	5922	17793
City of Lakewood	15260	18989
City of Lancaster*	41365	25602
City of Lawndale	6804	20242
City of Lomita	3470	16740
City of Lynwood*	20376	28282
City of Malibu	1689	13031
City of Manhattan Beach	4137	11492
City of Maywood	8390	29912
City of Monrovia	6603	17018
City of Montebello	16119	25039
City of Monterey Park	9153	14701
City of Norwalk	27260	25329
City of Palmdale	43461	27339
City of Palos Verdes Estates	1247	9222
City of Paramount	15655	27944
City of Pico Rivera	17500	27223
City of Pomona	42410	27198
City of Rancho Palos Verdes	4023	9411
City of Redondo Beach	8211	11952
City of Rolling Hills	161	8299
City of Rolling Hills Estates	804	9910
City of Rosemead	8533	15416
City of San Dimas*	6520	18890
City of San Fernando	8747	35540
City of San Gabriel	5888	14377
City of San Marino	1096	8255
City of Santa Clarita	45317	20559
City of Santa Fe Springs	5199	28311
City of Santa Monica	13691	14810
City of Sierra Madre	1209	11002
City of Signal Hill	2405	20387
City of South El Monte	5366	25693
City of South Gate	30955	31537
City of South Pasadena	3188	12237
City of Temple City	4878	13381
City of Torrance	18149	12159
City of Vernon	219	104785
City of Walnut	3746	12269
City of West Covina	23765	21957
City of West Hollywood	6743	18248
City of Westlake Village	228	2727
City of Whittier	19319	22096
Los Angeles	958332	23694
Los Angeles - Adams-Normandie	2067	25201
Los Angeles - Alsace	2898	23286
Los Angeles - Angeles National Forest	6	15000
Los Angeles - Angelino Heights	511	20424
Los Angeles - Arleta	11561	33637
Los Angeles - Atwater Village	2922	19924
Los Angeles - Baldwin Hills	6061	19473
Los Angeles - Bel Air	1206	14308
Los Angeles - Beverly Crest	1921	15337
Los Angeles - Beverlywood	2450	18599
Los Angeles - Boyle Heights*	27247	31360
Los Angeles - Brentwood	4519	14599
Los Angeles - Brookside	81	13941
Los Angeles - Cadillac-Corning	1509	21191
Los Angeles - Canoga Park	16648	25499
Los Angeles - Carthay	2403	16730
Los Angeles - Central	12026	30842
Los Angeles - Century City	1791	14001
Los Angeles - Century Palms/Cove	11140	32992
Los Angeles - Chatsworth	7626	20577
Los Angeles - Cheviot Hills	1272	13870
Los Angeles - Chinatown	1607	20035
Los Angeles - Cloverdale/Cochran	3259	22394
Los Angeles - Country Club Park	2895	19105
Los Angeles - Crenshaw District	3134	22663
Los Angeles - Crestview	2346	20637
Los Angeles - Del Rey	4938	16495
Los Angeles - Downtown*	9520	34609
Los Angeles - Eagle Rock	7306	18455
Los Angeles - East Hollywood	5914	20193
Los Angeles - Echo Park	2694	18897
Los Angeles - El Sereno	10894	26057
Los Angeles - Elysian Park	1103	19310
Los Angeles - Elysian Valley	2192	21551
Los Angeles - Encino	8416	18631
Los Angeles - Exposition	767	23061
Los Angeles - Exposition Park	11342	25251
Los Angeles - Faircrest Heights	726	20167
Los Angeles - Figueroa Park Square	2481	28449
Los Angeles - Florence-Firestone	16040	33808
Los Angeles - Glassell Park	6498	20561
Los Angeles - Gramercy Place	2723	25297
Los Angeles - Granada Hills	13245	22761
Los Angeles - Green Meadows	6917	32165
Los Angeles - Hancock Park	2741	16087
Los Angeles - Harbor City	5665	19487
Los Angeles - Harbor Gateway	9831	22548
Los Angeles - Harbor Pines	386	16023
Los Angeles - Harvard Heights	4135	22928
Los Angeles - Harvard Park	12273	32353
Los Angeles - Highland Park	10615	21936
Los Angeles - Historic Filipinotown	3461	24953
Los Angeles - Hollywood	13249	19411
Los Angeles - Hollywood Hills	4331	14714
Los Angeles - Hyde Park	7500	26278
Los Angeles - Jefferson Park	2036	25220
Los Angeles - Koreatown	9936	19221
Los Angeles - Lafayette Square	986	21628
Los Angeles - Lake Balboa	10155	24061
Los Angeles - Lakeview Terrace	3851	29323
Los Angeles - Leimert Park	3438	22566
Los Angeles - Lincoln Heights	8338	25579
Los Angeles - Little Armenia	1910	23801
Los Angeles - Little Bangladesh	5186	18297
Los Angeles - Little Tokyo	819	26141
Los Angeles - Longwood	1090	25325
Los Angeles - Los Feliz	3017	13962
Los Angeles - Manchester Square	1999	23418
Los Angeles - Mandeville Canyon	420	13444
Los Angeles - Mar Vista	5838	13746
Los Angeles - Marina Peninsula	526	12064
Los Angeles - Melrose	16243	20906
Los Angeles - Mid-city	2751	18303
Los Angeles - Miracle Mile	2807	15607
Los Angeles - Mission Hills	7948	32946
Los Angeles - Mt. Washington	5160	21371
Los Angeles - North Hills	16598	26956
Los Angeles - North Hollywood	38644	25521
Los Angeles - Northridge	15511	22223
Los Angeles - Pacific Palisades	2474	11620
Los Angeles - Pacoima	26984	35054
Los Angeles - Palisades Highlands	457	11882
Los Angeles - Palms	6553	14935
Los Angeles - Panorama City	22282	29611
Los Angeles - Park La Brea	1783	13130
Los Angeles - Pico-Union	11142	26629
Los Angeles - Playa Del Rey	338	10576
Los Angeles - Playa Vista	1853	16927
Los Angeles - Porter Ranch	5803	16306
Los Angeles - Rancho Park	1105	16845
Los Angeles - Regent Square	539	19388
Los Angeles - Reseda	20630	26926
Los Angeles - Reseda Ranch	1162	25065
Los Angeles - Reynier Village	689	16296
Los Angeles - San Pedro*	16111	20645
Los Angeles - Shadow Hills	819	18438
Los Angeles - Sherman Oaks	15236	17462
Los Angeles - Silverlake	7775	17637
Los Angeles - South Carthay	1854	17499
Los Angeles - South Park	12156	32022
Los Angeles - St Elmo Village	1166	25436
Los Angeles - Studio City	3648	16257
Los Angeles - Sun Valley	15877	30252
Los Angeles - Sunland	4237	20761
Los Angeles - Sycamore Square	93	14374
Los Angeles - Sylmar*	28044	34035
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