COVID-19 related hospitalizations top 1,300 in LA County

Los Angeles County is reporting nearly 6,500 new COVID-19 cases and more than 1,300 hospitalizations due to the virus in the most recent set of data released Wednesday. 

In all, 6,450 new cases were reported in LA County, 1,328 COVID-positive patients were hospitalized, 137 of which were in intensive care, and 18 people died. The average daily positive testing rate was 16.7%. 

According to LA County Department of Public Health, this is the highest number of patients in hospital due to coronavirus since the middle of February, during the Omicron variant winter surge. 

Additionally, these numbers are expected to be even higher than reported, since many Angelenos now rely on at-home tests, which are not as accurate as those administered with a physician, and infrequently reported back to the county. 

This most recent trend, fueled by the BA.4 and BA.5 variants, has caused skyrocketing amounts of cases across the United States, even to those who previously avoided the virus based on natural immunities or vaccination. 

County officials also noted that this time around, 42% of the virus-positive patients were admitted specifically for COVID-19 related reasons, as opposed to before when they were initially there for other reasons.

With the new variants also come the onset of newer symptoms that weren't as prevalent in the earlier stages of the coronavirus pandemic, including a sore throat and hoarse voice. 

According to LADPH Director Barbara Ferrer, this recent spike in infection can be mostly attributed to BA.5, which has accounted for almost half of all local cases that were additionally tested to identify specific strains of COVID. This falls in line with the CDC's estimation that nearly 70% of national cases are also BA.5. 

The CDC also just recently placed Los Angeles County back in the "high" tier of virus-activity last Thursday, prompting Ferrer to warn of an unavoidable return to an indoor masking mandate. To qualify for the highest tier, the daily rate of hospitalizations due to COVID must be higher than 10 per 100,000 residents. LaCo reported a 10.5 daily rate. 

The masking mandate is expected to be reinstated, or at least announced, on July 29 -- two weeks after the CDC's announcement.

Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center doctors have apparently refuted the numbers released, especially in terms of hospitalizations, in a video from an internal town hall meeting that was released to the public. 

"Only 10% of our COVID positive admission are admitted due to COVID," said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Brad Spelberg last week during a town hall meeting.

In response to the rising numbers, the City of Burbank recently voted to implement an emergency ordinance to recover face coverings at all public meetings, including city council, board member and commissions meetings. 

As many suffer from pandemic fatigue, as the world continues through its third year of dealing with coronavirus, locals have said that they fear there may be a little kickback if stricter sanctions return. 

Narciso Lobos isn't one of those people.

"It's just kind of a fact of life now," he said. "We've just kind of had to accept as a day-to-day occurrence, and a day-to-day danger."

He told CBS reporter Tina Patel that his web development class has recently been hit by an outbreak, with more than 25% of students coming down with the virus in recent weeks.

"I'm tired of it. But, if I can help my fellow man, my fellow human, my fellow Los Angeleno be healthy then I will do whatever I can," Lobos said.

Other residents agreed with the pending mask mandate looming over LA County. 

"I think it's a good idea to keep the masks on," said Sally Canlas. "It keeps us safe, and also safe for other people."

All of this news comes at the same time that the White House announced that President Joe Biden also tested positive for COVID-19, despite being double vaccinated and double boosted against the virus. He is reportedly showing light symptoms.