LISTING OF DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH PRESS RELEASES
News Release
Los Angeles County Public Health Logo

313 N. Figueroa Street, Room 806  |  Los Angeles, CA 90012  |  (213) 288-8144  |  media@ph.lacounty.gov

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For Immediate Release:

June 03, 2022

As Highly Infectious Variants Increase in the County, Masking Indoors Provides Strong Protection Against COVID-19 - 5,051 New Positive Cases and 10 New Deaths Due to COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

As highly transmissible Omicron sub-lineages dominate across the county, masking is an essential safety measure that residents can use to help protect themselves and others in all indoor settings.

The BA.2 Omicron variant, excluding BA.2 sub-lineages, continues to decrease, and now accounts for only about half of the variants sequenced in the county. In contrast, the even more transmissible BA.2.12.1 sub-lineage accounts for 40% of positive sequenced specimens. Modeling estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predict that BA.2.12.1 is now the predominant variant in the U.S, accounting for 59% of sequenced specimens across the country for the week ending May 28.

During this period of significantly elevated case rates, fueled by the proliferation of new highly infectious strains of the virus that evade some of the vaccine protection against transmission, masking indoors provides strong protection against transmission of COVID-19. There is an impressive body of reputable research showing how masking reduces risk for individuals and slows viral transmission in the community.

Two recent studies highlight the effectiveness of masking. The first study looked at masking by people in California during most of 2021. They found the odds of testing positive were 56% lower for people who reported always wearing a mask in indoor public settings compared to those who reported never wearing a mask in those settings. Moreover, the odds of testing positive were 83% lower for people who reported wearing a respirator (like an N95 or KN95) compared to people who reported never wearing a mask.

The second study looked at the effects of masking in Arkansas schools. They found that school districts with universal mask requirements in Fall 2021 had 23% lower COVID-19 case rates among staff and students compared to school districts without mask requirements.

Both these studies reflected the variability in proper masking and the quality of masks used by individuals, and still demonstrated that masks protect both individuals and communities.

As a reminder, masks are required inside healthcare settings, on public transit and at indoor transit hubs, long term care settings, shelters and cooling centers, and correctional facilities. And, employees and customers must wear a mask at any workplaces or venues with required masking. Masking is also required by our LA County Health Officer Order for anyone who is still within 10 days of a COVID diagnosis or exposure when around others.

Both the LA County Health Officer Order and CalOSHA require workplaces to offer masks and respirators to workers. The masks and respirators should be the correct size for the employee, and employees should be given basic instructions on how to achieve the best fit with the mask. As a reminder, all workplaces must allow employees to protect themselves by wearing a mask, even if masking is not required.

There are certain situations in which employers are required to assure masks are being worn. This includes, at workplaces that have a government-issued mandate to mask, required masking for those within 10 days of a COVID diagnosis or exposure, and masking during workplace outbreaks.

“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. “With the high transmission of the BA.2.12.1, masking provides a strong defense against viral transmission. Each resident should consider not only their own personal risk, but also the risk to family members, friends, co-workers and those sharing public spaces, as they make decisions about taking precautions such as masking, gathering, getting tested, and getting vaccinated or boosted. In situations where transmission risk is higher, we know with certainty that masking allows us to protect ourselves and those around us. Masking helps protect those in our county who are more vulnerable. We help keep everyone working. And it is a fairly simple way to do our part to help prevent overburdening the healthcare system we all depend on.”

Today, Public Health reported 10 additional deaths and 5,051 new positive cases. Of the 10 new deaths reported today, one person was between the ages of 30-49, four people were between the ages of 65-79, and five were among people aged 80 years or older. Of the 10 newly reported deaths, nine people had underlying health conditions. To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 32,154.

Public Health has reported a total of 2,990,651 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 5.0%.

There are 522 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for more than 12,034,362 individuals, with 22% of people testing positive.

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 including:

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:

For more information:





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Total Cases

Laboratory Confirmed Cases

2,990,651

-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)

2,830,332

-- Long Beach

129,952

-- Pasadena

30,367

Deaths

32,154

-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)

30,462

-- Long Beach

1,277

-- Pasadena

415

Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- 0 to 4

86821

- 5 to 11

251456

- 12 to 17

246475

- 18 to 29

629740

- 30 to 49

903775

- 50 to 64

467749

- 65 to 79

183069

- over 80

59157

- Under Investigation

2090

Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- Female

1442785

- Male

1308811

- Other

1264

- Under Investigation

77472

Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- American Indian/Alaska Native

5204

- Asian

184098

- Black

142282

- Hispanic/Latino

1268117

- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

14377

- White

376734

- Other

314310

- Under Investigation

525210

Hospitalization (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- Hospitalized (Ever)***

139,418

Deaths Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- American Indian/Alaska Native

73

- Asian

3810

- Black

2826

- Hispanic/Latino

15630

- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

111

- White

7619

- Other

305

- Under Investigation

88

CITY / COMMUNITY**

Cases

Case Rate

City of Agoura Hills

4652

22276

City of Alhambra

18294

21095

City of Arcadia

8920

15445

City of Artesia

4398

26186

City of Avalon

64

1654

City of Azusa

14184

28345

City of Baldwin Park

23568

30700

City of Bell

14266

39266

City of Bell Gardens

14410

33456

City of Bellflower

24159

31079

City of Beverly Hills

9127

26440

City of Bradbury

67

6268

City of Burbank

24374

22741

City of Calabasas

4417

18160

City of Carson

27004

28775

City of Cerritos

9142

18260

City of Claremont

7558

20716

City of Commerce*

4639

35496

City of Compton

33800

33832

City of Covina

15236

31074

City of Cudahy

10260

42141

City of Culver City

8325

20883

City of Diamond Bar

9887

17190

City of Downey

37207

32563

City of Duarte

5443

24723

City of El Monte

33962

28961

City of El Segundo

3148

18754

City of Gardena

17157

27984

City of Glendale

46912

22718

City of Glendora

12379

23461

City of Hawaiian Gardens

4279

29156

City of Hawthorne

23549

26523

City of Hermosa Beach

3698

18800

City of Hidden Hills

301

15926

City of Huntington Park

22549

37908

City of Industry

417

95423

City of Inglewood

30552

26899

City of Irwindale

552

37834

City of La Canada Flintridge

3336

16121

City of La Habra Heights

170

3116

City of La Mirada

10988

22154

City of La Puente

13057

32083

City of La Verne

7396

22222

City of Lakewood

20157

25083

City of Lancaster*

52253

32341

City of Lawndale

8474

25210

City of Lomita

4616

22268

City of Lynwood*

25313

35134

City of Malibu

2345

18093

City of Manhattan Beach

5666

15739

City of Maywood

10803

38515

City of Monrovia

8743

22534

City of Montebello

19868

30863

City of Monterey Park

12481

20046

City of Norwalk

34163

31744

City of Palmdale

54441

34247

City of Palos Verdes Estates

1695

12535

City of Paramount

19347

34534

City of Pico Rivera

21671

33711

City of Pomona

53367

34225

City of Rancho Palos Verdes

5496

12857

City of Redondo Beach

11358

16533

City of Rolling Hills

213

10979

City of Rolling Hills Estates

1106

13632

City of Rosemead

11397

20591

City of San Dimas*

8508

24649

City of San Fernando

10766

43743

City of San Gabriel

8111

19805

City of San Marino

1656

12473

City of Santa Clarita

57259

25977

City of Santa Fe Springs

6549

35662

City of Santa Monica

19597

21198

City of Sierra Madre

1670

15197

City of Signal Hill

3021

25608

City of South El Monte

6716

32157

City of South Gate

39450

40192

City of South Pasadena

4538

17418

City of Temple City

6802

18659

City of Torrance

24951

16716

City of Vernon

318

152153

City of Walnut

5297

17349

City of West Covina

30740

28401

City of West Hollywood

8842

23929

City of Westlake Village

306

3660

City of Whittier

24704

28255

Los Angeles

1238336

30617

Los Angeles - Adams-Normandie

2693

32833

Los Angeles - Alsace

3707

29787

Los Angeles - Angeles National Forest

6

15000

Los Angeles - Angelino Heights

674

26938

Los Angeles - Arleta

14050

40879

Los Angeles - Atwater Village

3833

26135

Los Angeles - Baldwin Hills

7952

25549

Los Angeles - Bel Air

1744

20690

Los Angeles - Beverly Crest

2642

21094

Los Angeles - Beverlywood

3317

25180

Los Angeles - Boyle Heights*

34108

39257

Los Angeles - Brentwood

6446

20824

Los Angeles - Brookside

114

19621

Los Angeles - Cadillac-Corning

1952

27412

Los Angeles - Canoga Park

20960

32103

Los Angeles - Carthay

3243

22579

Los Angeles - Central

15132

38808

Los Angeles - Century City

2699

21099

Los Angeles - Century Palms/Cove

13744

40704

Los Angeles - Chatsworth

10040

27090

Los Angeles - Cheviot Hills

1925

20990

Los Angeles - Chinatown

2113

26343

Los Angeles - Cloverdale/Cochran

4258

29259

Los Angeles - Country Club Park

3868

25526

Los Angeles - Crenshaw District

4194

30328

Los Angeles - Crestview

3076

27058

Los Angeles - Del Rey

6550

21880

Los Angeles - Downtown*

12758

46381

Los Angeles - Eagle Rock

10154

25649

Los Angeles - East Hollywood

7711

26329

Los Angeles - Echo Park

3614

25351

Los Angeles - El Sereno

13867

33168

Los Angeles - Elysian Park

1463

25613

Los Angeles - Elysian Valley

2895

28463

Los Angeles - Encino

11402

25241

Los Angeles - Exposition

1023

30758

Los Angeles - Exposition Park

15063

33535

Los Angeles - Faircrest Heights

963

26750

Los Angeles - Figueroa Park Square

3115

35718

Los Angeles - Florence-Firestone

19875

41891

Los Angeles - Glassell Park

8564

27098

Los Angeles - Gramercy Place

3311

30760

Los Angeles - Granada Hills

17030

29266

Los Angeles - Green Meadows

8735

40618

Los Angeles - Hancock Park

3720

21832

Los Angeles - Harbor City

7420

25525

Los Angeles - Harbor Gateway

12691

29108

Los Angeles - Harbor Pines

477

19801

Los Angeles - Harvard Heights

5332

29565

Los Angeles - Harvard Park

15361

40493

Los Angeles - Highland Park

13751

28416

Los Angeles - Historic Filipinotown

4465

32192

Los Angeles - Hollywood

17243

25263

Los Angeles - Hollywood Hills

5903

20055

Los Angeles - Hyde Park

9602

33643

Los Angeles - Jefferson Park

2625

32516

Los Angeles - Koreatown

13569

26249

Los Angeles - Lafayette Square

1316

28866

Los Angeles - Lake Balboa

12923

30619

Los Angeles - Lakeview Terrace

4766

36290

Los Angeles - Leimert Park

4506

29577

Los Angeles - Lincoln Heights

10529

32301

Los Angeles - Little Armenia

2523

31439

Los Angeles - Little Bangladesh

7189

25364

Los Angeles - Little Tokyo

1154

36834

Los Angeles - Longwood

1403

32598

Los Angeles - Los Feliz

4344

20104

Los Angeles - Manchester Square

2517

29487

Los Angeles - Mandeville Canyon

600

19206

Los Angeles - Mar Vista

8172

19241

Los Angeles - Marina Peninsula

758

17385

Los Angeles - Melrose

21388

27528

Los Angeles - Mid-city

3704

24644

Los Angeles - Miracle Mile

3819

21234

Los Angeles - Mission Hills

9782

40549

Los Angeles - Mt. Washington

6703

27761

Los Angeles - North Hills

20801

33782

Los Angeles - North Hollywood

48421

31978

Los Angeles - Northridge

20291

29071

Los Angeles - Pacific Palisades

3889

18266

Los Angeles - Pacoima

32906

42747

Los Angeles - Palisades Highlands

734

19085

Los Angeles - Palms

8952

20402

Los Angeles - Panorama City

27912

37092

Los Angeles - Park La Brea

2491

18343

Los Angeles - Pico-Union

14208

33956

Los Angeles - Playa Del Rey

457

14299

Los Angeles - Playa Vista

2598

23733

Los Angeles - Porter Ranch

8005

22494

Los Angeles - Rancho Park

1651

25168

Los Angeles - Regent Square

692

24892

Los Angeles - Reseda

25731

33584

Los Angeles - Reseda Ranch

1476

31838

Los Angeles - Reynier Village

940

22233

Los Angeles - San Pedro*

20758

26600

Los Angeles - Shadow Hills

1029

23165

Los Angeles - Sherman Oaks

20884

23935

Los Angeles - Silverlake

10555

23943

Los Angeles - South Carthay

2484

23445