Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
LA’s Winter COVID Surge Ebbs
An example of a COVID test handed out at Daniel Webster Middle School in Mar Vista.
(
Suzanne Levy
/
LAist
)
Topline:
Testing wastewater for coronavirus is the best metric we have to estimate how much virus is circulating. The level of coronavirus in L.A. County’s wastewater has dropped to 30% of last winter’s peak — that’s down 22% from the previous week.
All indicators trending downward: Fewer people are in the hospital with COVID-19 in L.A. County. During the week ending Feb. 17, there was an average of 376 COVID-positive hospitalized patients, a decrease from the average of 482 COVID-positive hospitalized patients for the previous week.
Deaths caused by COVID are down from a high of about nine people a day in early January to now four people each day.
Support for LAist comes from
What about the rest of the country? Nationally, the wastewater viral activity level for COVID-19 is high, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but is trending downward. People can still get sick as cases decrease. The virus is circulating at about the same rate as in early November.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The critical findings are part of long-awaited after-action report was released Thursday. It contains recommendations for increasing emergency staffing and updating old systems. -
Diving has changed, mountain biking has been added. Here's where to watch the Olympics in person in 2028. -
'A Great Day in the Stoke' is a free, daylong event in Orange County billed as 'the largest gathering of Black surfers in history.' The fourth annual festival is set for Saturday in Huntington Beach. -
Kimmel returned less than a week after ABC suspended his show over comments he made about the assassination of right wing activist Charlie Kirk. -
Southern California might see some light rain tonight into Wednesday morning. After that, cooler weather is on the way, but expect the humidity to remain. -
A gate tax at Disney? It's a possibility.
Best of LAist