As BA.5 Fuels Increase in COVID Metrics, Residents in Areas of High Poverty Hospitalized at a Faster Rate - 4,327 New Positive Cases and 12 New Deaths Due to COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

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 LA 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 (CDC) 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 LA 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 LA 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.”

Today, Public Health reported 12 additional deaths and 4,327 new positive cases. 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. To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 32,549.

Public Health has reported a total of 3,230,019 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 16.5%.

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.

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:

COVID-19 Daily Data (cases, deaths, testing, testing positivity rate, mortality rate, and hospitalizations)
Gender, Age, Race/Ethnicity and City/Community Cases and Deaths
Contact Tracing Metrics
Skilled Nursing Facility Metrics
Citations due to Health Officer Order Noncompliance
Outbreaks:

Residential Congregate Settings
Non-Residential Settings
Homeless Service Settings

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

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health:
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/
California Department of Public Health:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Spanish https://espanol.cdc.gov/enes/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
World Health Organization https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
LA County residents can also call 2-1-1

For more information:

	Total Cases
Laboratory Confirmed Cases	3,230,019
-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)	3,055,711
-- Long Beach	140,886
-- Pasadena	33,422
Deaths	32,549
-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)	30,838
-- Long Beach	1,292
-- Pasadena	419
Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- 0 to 4	95107
- 5 to 11	264041
- 12 to 17	258663
- 18 to 29	674731
- 30 to 49	981534
- 50 to 64	510927
- 65 to 79	203091
- over 80	65423
- Under Investigation	2194
Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- Female	1563368
- Male	1408813
- Other	1398
- Under Investigation	82132
Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- American Indian/Alaska Native	5680
- Asian	210859
- Black	154871
- Hispanic/Latino	1339247
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	15597
- White	412653
- Other	344469
- Under Investigation	572335
Hospitalization (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- Hospitalized (Ever)***	144,193
Deaths Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)
- American Indian/Alaska Native	72
- Asian	3870
- Black	2875
- Hispanic/Latino	15741
- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	111
- White	7770
- Other	313
- Under Investigation	86
CITY / COMMUNITY**	Cases	Case Rate
City of Agoura Hills	5632	26969
City of Alhambra	20575	23725
City of Arcadia	10410	18025
City of Artesia	4857	28919
City of Avalon	65	1680
City of Azusa	15250	30476
City of Baldwin Park	25505	33223
City of Bell	15064	41462
City of Bell Gardens	15177	35237
City of Bellflower	26177	33675
City of Beverly Hills	10045	29099
City of Bradbury	67	6268
City of Burbank	27187	25366
City of Calabasas	4902	20154
City of Carson	29690	31637
City of Cerritos	10624	21220
City of Claremont	8174	22404
City of Commerce*	4966	37998
City of Compton	35741	35775
City of Covina	16425	33499
City of Cudahy	10873	44658
City of Culver City	9447	23697
City of Diamond Bar	11028	19174
City of Downey	40111	35104
City of Duarte	6033	27403
City of El Monte	36523	31145
City of El Segundo	3503	20869
City of Gardena	18661	30437
City of Glendale	50976	24687
City of Glendora	13425	25443
City of Hawaiian Gardens	4538	30921
City of Hawthorne	25371	28575
City of Hermosa Beach	4037	20524
City of Hidden Hills	338	17884
City of Huntington Park	23741	39912
City of Industry	453	103661
City of Inglewood	32706	28795
City of Irwindale	593	40644
City of La Canada Flintridge	3760	18170
City of La Habra Heights	170	3116
City of La Mirada	11967	24128
City of La Puente	14050	34523
City of La Verne	8032	24133
City of Lakewood	22330	27787
City of Lancaster*	55528	34368
City of Lawndale	9192	27346
City of Lomita	5063	24425
City of Lynwood*	26977	37444
City of Malibu	2536	19566
City of Manhattan Beach	6281	17448
City of Maywood	11364	40515
City of Monrovia	9723	25059
City of Montebello	21519	33428
City of Monterey Park	14113	22667
City of Norwalk	36630	34036
City of Palmdale	57967	36465
City of Palos Verdes Estates	1849	13674
City of Paramount	20451	36505
City of Pico Rivera	23503	36561
City of Pomona	56641	36324
City of Rancho Palos Verdes	6176	14448
City of Redondo Beach	12856	18714
City of Rolling Hills	238	12268
City of Rolling Hills Estates	1222	15062
City of Rosemead	12856	23227
City of San Dimas*	9337	27051
City of San Fernando	11369	46193
City of San Gabriel	9117	22262
City of San Marino	1936	14582
City of Santa Clarita	62521	28364
City of Santa Fe Springs	7019	38222
City of Santa Monica	22137	23946
City of Sierra Madre	1907	17354
City of Signal Hill	3357	28456
City of South El Monte	7187	34412
City of South Gate	41820	42606
City of South Pasadena	5220	20036
City of Temple City	7997	21937
City of Torrance	28068	18804
City of Vernon	329	157416
City of Walnut	6027	19740
City of West Covina	33649	31089
City of West Hollywood	9714	26289
City of Westlake Village	338	4043
City of Whittier	26778	30627
Los Angeles	1330322	32891
Los Angeles - Adams-Normandie	2849	34735
Los Angeles - Alsace	3992	32077
Los Angeles - Angeles National Forest	6	15000
Los Angeles - Angelino Heights	720	28777
Los Angeles - Arleta	14945	43483
Los Angeles - Atwater Village	4191	28576
Los Angeles - Baldwin Hills	8685	27904
Los Angeles - Bel Air	2035	24143
Los Angeles - Beverly Crest	2925	23353
Los Angeles - Beverlywood	3621	27488
Los Angeles - Boyle Heights*	36000	41435
Los Angeles - Brentwood	7267	23476
Los Angeles - Brookside	124	21343
Los Angeles - Cadillac-Corning	2085	29280
Los Angeles - Canoga Park	22311	34173
Los Angeles - Carthay	3635	25308
Los Angeles - Central	15692	40244
Los Angeles - Century City	3092	24171
Los Angeles - Century Palms/Cove	14409	42673
Los Angeles - Chatsworth	10854	29287
Los Angeles - Cheviot Hills	2129	23214
Los Angeles - Chinatown	2355	29360
Los Angeles - Cloverdale/Cochran	4572	31416
Los Angeles - Country Club Park	4175	27552
Los Angeles - Crenshaw District	4572	33061
Los Angeles - Crestview	3313	29143
Los Angeles - Del Rey	7229	24148
Los Angeles - Downtown*	13801	50173
Los Angeles - Eagle Rock	11472	28978
Los Angeles - East Hollywood	8280	28272
Los Angeles - Echo Park	3978	27904
Los Angeles - El Sereno	14897	35632
Los Angeles - Elysian Park	1578	27626
Los Angeles - Elysian Valley	3154	31010
Los Angeles - Encino	12806	28349
Los Angeles - Exposition	1109	33343
Los Angeles - Exposition Park	15874	35341
Los Angeles - Faircrest Heights	1064	29556
Los Angeles - Figueroa Park Square	3299	37828
Los Angeles - Florence-Firestone	20724	43680
Los Angeles - Glassell Park	9409	29772
Los Angeles - Gramercy Place	3562	33092
Los Angeles - Granada Hills	18513	31814
Los Angeles - Green Meadows	9120	42409
Los Angeles - Hancock Park	4060	23828
Los Angeles - Harbor City	8035	27640
Los Angeles - Harbor Gateway	13642	31289
Los Angeles - Harbor Pines	524	21752
Los Angeles - Harvard Heights	5570	30884
Los Angeles - Harvard Park	16152	42578
Los Angeles - Highland Park	14951	30896
Los Angeles - Historic Filipinotown	4775	34427
Los Angeles - Hollywood	18735	27449
Los Angeles - Hollywood Hills	6546	22240
Los Angeles - Hyde Park	10230	35843
Los Angeles - Jefferson Park	2799	34671
Los Angeles - Koreatown	14444	27942
Los Angeles - Lafayette Square	1429	31345
Los Angeles - Lake Balboa	13949	33050
Los Angeles - Lakeview Terrace	5120	38986
Los Angeles - Leimert Park	4924	32320
Los Angeles - Lincoln Heights	11272	34580
Los Angeles - Little Armenia	2674	33321
Los Angeles - Little Bangladesh	7715	27220
Los Angeles - Little Tokyo	1240	39579
Los Angeles - Longwood	1502	34898
Los Angeles - Los Feliz	4910	22723
Los Angeles - Manchester Square	2711	31760
Los Angeles - Mandeville Canyon	682	21831
Los Angeles - Mar Vista	9169	21589
Los Angeles - Marina Peninsula	821	18830
Los Angeles - Melrose	23003	29606
Los Angeles - Mid-city	4031	26820
Los Angeles - Miracle Mile	4237	23559
Los Angeles - Mission Hills	10435	43256
Los Angeles - Mt. Washington	7265	30089
Los Angeles - North Hills	22187	36032
Los Angeles - North Hollywood	52046	34372
Los Angeles - Northridge	21964	31468
Los Angeles - Pacific Palisades	4340	20384
Los Angeles - Pacoima	34667	45034
Los Angeles - Palisades Highlands	806	20957
Los Angeles - Palms	10064	22937
Los Angeles - Panorama City	29637	39385
Los Angeles - Park La Brea	2718	20015
Los Angeles - Pico-Union	14789	35345
Los Angeles - Playa Del Rey	503	15738
Los Angeles - Playa Vista	2909	26573
Los Angeles - Porter Ranch	8927	25084
Los Angeles - Rancho Park	1884	28720
Los Angeles - Regent Square	756	27194
Los Angeles - Reseda	27700	36154
Los Angeles - Reseda Ranch	1590	34297
Los Angeles - Reynier Village	1047	24763
Los Angeles - San Pedro*	22554	28901
Los Angeles - Shadow Hills	1113	25056
Los Angeles - Sherman Oaks	23274	26674
Los Angeles - Silverlake	11620	26359
Los Angeles - South Carthay	2716	25635
Los Angeles - South Park	15676	41295
Los Angeles - #####