COVID Hospitalizations In LA County Continue To Drop
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA/CNS) - There is a sigh of relief for Los Angeles County Health Officials and residents as the number of COVID hospitalizations continue to drop.
Hospitalizations fell from 3,233 to 3,012 -- decreasing by more than 200. The decrease signals a downward trend that the county has seen over the last couple weeks, according to state figures released Saturday.
However, health officials also announced 84 additional deaths related to COVID. In addition, the county announced 9,997 new positive COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 2,720,216 cases and 29,364 deaths since the pandemic began.
Of those patients hospitalized, 616 were in intensive care, down from 652 on Friday.
Some patients entered hospitals for other reasons and only discovered they had COVID after a hospital-mandated test.
LA County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Friday that if the county
wants to end the winter surge of COVID infections, "we'll need to continue the
common-sense protective measures that we know can slow COVID-19 transmission."
"These include wearing a mask when around others until transmission
is lower," Ferrer said. "Testing, if possible, before gathering with others, especially if you're gathering with people at high risk, including unvaccinated, or indoors or in a crowded outdoor place where masks are not always worn, and after being exposed to a positive case."
Ferrer's comments come after Governor Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Eric Garcetti were seen maskless at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood last weekend at the NFC Championship Game.
Earlier this week, LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said the lax adherence to the mandate should lead to a reevaluation of whether it should remain in effect. But Board of Supervisors Chair Holly Mitchell made it clear that the rule will stay in place until transmission rates fall to a safer level.
(© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)