On Sunday, Los Angeles County public health officials reported 2,848 recently confirmed cases of coronavirus, with the majority of those infected under the age of 41 as related hospitalizations reached a new level.
There are currently 2,216 people hospitalized with the virus, the county health department reported. This is the fifth consecutive day with hospitalizations over 2,100 and the first time that hospitalizations have exceeded 2,200.
Among those hospitalized, 26% are in intensive care units and 19% are on ventilators.
As the dangerous rise in infections continues, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a new warning Sunday during a CNN appearance that the city was “on the verge” of imposing new restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus. But he did not elaborate.
The mayor has made similar comments earlier in the past two weeks, saying the city would act if cases continue to escalate.
The latest county COVID-19 numbers also indicate that the disease has become more prevalent in relatively young people: 53% of the 2,848 new cases occurred in people younger than 41 years; 52% of the cases to date in the county have occurred in that age group.
The latest report also includes 11 deaths, bringing the county total to 4,095.
“We continue to reach milestones and today we are seeing the highest number of COVID-19 hospitalizations,” said director of public health Barbara Ferrer in a statement. “Right now, young adults are being hospitalized at a rate never seen before. No matter how young you are, you are vulnerable to this virus. I urge everyone to take collective responsibility: stay physically separate from people they don’t live with, wear a suitable mask when they are away from home, but stay home as much as possible. “
Even without Garcetti’s intervention, a number of state-imposed restrictions recently went into effect, including a ban on indoor restaurants and the closure of bars, shopping malls, and other retailers in Los Angeles County and other listed counties. state surveillance.
The California watch list includes all of the southern California counties. Governor Gavin Newsom ordered Friday that public and private K-12 campuses remain closed in these counties until one county has been off the watch list for 14 consecutive days.
The county has now tabulated more than 1.5 million tests, of which 10% have tested positive.
