L.A. County is nearing 9,000 total coronavirus deaths since the pandemic began. The current tally is 8,931.
On Monday, county health officials reported 56 more deaths and more than 11,000 new cases of coronavirus.
More than 5,700 COVID-19 patients are in county hospitals. The hospitalization rate has soared nearly 500% since the beginning of November.
This is the worst surge of the pandemic, said County Department of Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. And as we get closer to Christmas, she pleaded with people to stay home, warning that another post-holiday spike could stretch the hospital system to the breaking point:
"I long to visit with my grandchildren and give them their hugs. But it just isn't possible, and none of us can afford to take any risks right now."
OVERALL LOOK AT LA COUNTY NUMBERS:
Here's a look at longer-term trends in the county. To see more, visit our California COVID-19 Tracker and choose L.A. County or any other California county that interests you. These numbers are current as of Sunday, Dec. 20:
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