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 Drops To Low COVID Tier As The Number Of Daily Deaths Rises

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.
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.”
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.

-
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.