Los Angeles County has seen a “significant increase” of COVID-19 hospitalizations each day, with test positivity up 10-fold since all sectors were allowed to fully reopen June 15, health officials reported Monday.
There are currently 525 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the region, while a week ago, the number stood at 372, officials detailed. By comparison, there were just 218 people hospitalized with the illness the day of California’s full reopening.
Coronavirus cases have increased 700% since that date, and officials are beginning to see the corresponding increases in hospitalizations, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Test positivity went from 0.4% on June 15 to 4.1% reported Monday.
The alarming and ongoing increase led officials last week to reinstate the mask mandate in the region, requiring residents wear masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status.
“Due to the significant increased circulation of the more infectious Delta variant, the intermingling of unmasked individuals where vaccination status is unknown, and the risks to the almost 4 million people in L.A. County who have not been or are not eligible to be vaccinated, including 1.3 million children under 12 years of age, the Los Angeles County Health Officer Order was modified to require masking for everyone while indoors, regardless of vaccination status to prevent increased COVID-19 spread,” officials stated in a news release.
Additionally, the health department is working with worksites and businesses so they have the tools to ensure that employees are also in compliance with the health order.
Officials continue to urge eligible residents who are not vaccinated to get the shot, as they have proven effective in preventing serious illness from COVID-19.
“If you are not yet vaccinated, please know that we need you to take extra precautions,” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. “Since vaccines remain the most powerful tool for reducing spread, now is the time to get your vaccine. We need to bring down transmission rates so that when schools open next month, there is much less risk.”
Residents can get more information about the available vaccines and how to sign up to get the shot here.
A total of 1,233 new cases and two new deaths were reported Monday. That brings the total amount of positive cases across all areas of L.A. County to more than 1.2 million, and a total of 24,585 deaths. Testing results are available for more than 7.1 million individuals with 16% of people testing positive.