COVID hospitalizations on the rise in LA, OC counties

COVID hospitalizations in Los Angeles County are now above 300 for the first time since March. 

Around 319 patients were hospitalized in the county due to the coronavirus as of Sunday, up 21 since Friday. Hospitalizations were also up in Orange County with 87 patients. In the Inland Empire, hospitalizations were down with 59 people.

As of Friday, LA County recorded the highest number of new cases of COVID since February 18 at 4,025 cases, a stark increase, as well as six additional deaths. 

Public health officials were urging the public to get vaccinated, if unvaccinated, and get boosted. 

"Vaccines still provide the strongest protection against the more infectious subvariants, but their effectiveness wanes over time, making it critical for residents to become fully vaccinated, if not already, and to receive their boosters, if due, against COVID-19 now," the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in a press release on Friday.