Support for LAist comes from
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Stay Connected
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen

Share This

News

LA's COVID-19 Case Numbers Have Dropped 90% Since Height Of Winter Surge

(Courtesy L.A. County Dept. of Public Health)
()

With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today . 

Los Angeles County health officials are reporting some encouraging news on the coronavirus front. They reported just 21 deaths and 943 new cases today, the lowest numbers in months, even taking into account that Monday tallies are often low because of weekend reporting delays.

There are now 2,213 people hospitalized with COVID-19, compared with more than 8,000 in early January, according to the county.

Though the county still has a long way to go before it can move out of the state's most restrictive COVID-19 purple tier, the daily positivity rate has dropped below 5% - the rate hasn't been that low since October.

Officials also estimate that about 1 in 730 Angelenos are currenly infected with the virus; that's a big improvement from last week when it was about 1 in 460.

Support for LAist comes from

County public health director Barbara Ferrer says that while current daily case numbers are still high, the seven-day average has dropped to 1,600 a day, down 90% from its peak of more than 15,000 early last month:

"This wasn't a miracle, and the significant drop in our case numbers reflects actions and choices taken by millions of residents, workers, and employers."

While the picture has improved significantly, Ferrer cautioned that case numbers could potentially swing back up again this week due to gatherings during the Super Bowl and President's Day weekends.
Courtesy LA County Dept. Of Public Health
()


A CLOSER LOOK AT THE NUMBERS:


Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.

At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.

But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.

We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.

Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist