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LA’s COVID Indicators Trend Up For A Fifth Week
An example of a COVID test handed out at Daniel Webster Middle School in Mar Vista.
(
Suzanne Levy
/
LAist
)
Topline:
For a fifth consecutive week, COVID cases are up. Test positivity is almost as high as last summer.
How bad is it? It’s certainly a trend, but health officials cautioned that compared to other points during the pandemic, “hospitalizations and deaths remain relatively low.”
The amount of coronavirus in L.A. County wastewater has more than doubled since early July, according to the L.A. County Department of Public Health. It’s now at 28% of last winter’s peak amount. Meanwhile, the average of 512 daily reported cases is a nearly 35% increase over last week. Reported cases do not include home tests, so the actual number of COVID infections is likely much higher. And the number of people in the hospital with COVID continues to grow.
Why is COVID going up now? “The increase in Covid-19 circulation is likely the combined result of multiple factors, including summer travel, return to school, and the emergence of new Covid-19 variant strains,” county health officials said in a statement.
What new strain? Of circulating strains, 98% are descendants of Omicron XBB, which is what the fall COVID vaccine will target. The shots will likely be released next month. The new BA.2.86 is the most mutated version of coronavirus since Omicron, raising fears among health officials of a rise in re-infections. So far, health officials say the highly mutated BA.2.86 hasn’t shown up in L.A. County wastewater testing. As with past strains and the sheer population size of L.A. County, it’s likely here, but not common. It remains to be seen if it’s transmissible enough to cause another surge.
The virus may change but protections don't: Get tested if you’re sick, and stay away from other people if you test positive. To protect yourself you can always wear a mask, especially if you’re high risk. To access free telehealth services for treatment, contact the Public Health Call Center, seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., at (833) 540-0473.
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