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LA Drops To Low COVID Tier As The Number Of Daily Deaths Rises
An example of a COVID test handed out at Daniel Webster Middle School in Mar Vista.
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Suzanne Levy
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Topline:
An average five Angelenos are dying from COVID each day, even as the number of people hospitalized due to respiratory viruses has dropped slightly in Los Angeles County.
How many people are in the hospital? COVID-19 sent on average 768 people a day to hospitals in L.A. County last week. That’s a slight dip from the week before, enough to drop L.A. County back into the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s low level after two weeks at medium. Influenza accounts for 345 hospitalizations a day.
Have cases peaked? It’s too early to tell. Traces of the coronavirus in wastewater are up to 66% of last winter’s peak, significantly higher than the 37% at the end of December. The Public Health Department said masks will stay on at health facilities for the time being.
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COVID deaths are up: Right now, on average, five Angelenos are dying from COVID per day, up from three per day the week before. Experts expect the increase because COVID infections began surging in late November, sending thousands to the hospital. Only about one in five people have received the latest COVID shot.
The flu has killed one child since October in L.A. County, as well as 39 adults.
Is it too late to get the flu or COVID shot? No, doctors are still recommending both. “You can tell when you walk in the door whether someone has had a flu vaccine or not,” said Orange County pediatrician Eric Ball. “Most parents are actually surprised how sick kids get with the flu. It's not just a cold. Most have fevers for upwards of a week, and unfortunately some get hospitalized and some die.”
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