Los Angeles County is experiencing a rise in new coronavirus infections, a concerning trend given the continued circulation of the highly transmissible Delta variant, officials say.

As of Thursday, 245 Delta cases had been confirmed countywide — double the number last week.

Officials say the variant, which may be twice as transmissible as the conventional coronavirus strain, has the potential to spread rapidly among unvaccinated segments of the population.

And though L.A. County’s overall coronavirus metrics remain relatively low, any increases in transmission have the potential to spur more infections, illness and death in a region already familiar with the suffering COVID-19 can cause.

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