Additional Coverage:
- COVID cases keep rising in L.A. County due to FLiRT; Mayor Karen Bass tests positive (newsbreak.com)
COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County are on the rise, along with an increase in hospitalizations due to the virus, signaling the arrival of the expected summer surge in infections.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass recently tested positive for COVID-19, her office announced on Friday morning, shortly before she addressed a press conference via Zoom. This marks the second time Mayor Bass has tested positive for the virus, the first being in June 2023.
This uptick in cases across California corresponds with high levels of the virus detected in state wastewater, as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The early arrival of this summer’s rise in COVID-19 cases is unusual, starting in May in L.A. County as opposed to the typical July onset seen in previous years, except for 2022 when it also began in May.
For the week ending June 23, the most recent data shows a daily average of 215 reported cases, an increase from 154 the week before, and significantly higher than the average of 83 cases a day reported a month prior. However, these official counts are believed to be lower than the actual number of cases, as they don’t include positive results from at-home tests and many affected individuals may not seek testing. Despite this, these figures are useful in identifying trends and detecting when the virus is on the rise.
The latest data indicates a daily average of new cases higher than any point since February, following the decrease from the winter’s peak. Positive test rates are also climbing across California, with 9% of tests coming back positive in the most recent week analyzed, up from 3.4% the month before.
New subvariants of the virus, identified as FLiRT and officially named KP.3, KP.2, and KP.1.1, are now outpacing previous strains. These subvariants, about 20% more transmissible than their predecessor, represented 62.9% of estimated COVID samples in the U.S. for the period ending June 22, showing a significant increase from the month prior.
Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are also increasing, with an average of 153 patients per day in L.A. County hospitals for the week ending June 22, up from 138 the previous week.
Emergency room visits for COVID-19 have increased as well, with 2.1% of all visits being virus-related for the week ending June 23, compared to 1.2% a month earlier.
While there has been a slight increase in the detection of the virus in L.A. County wastewater, the levels have remained relatively stable recently. These wastewater findings are crucial as they provide an additional measure of the virus’s prevalence in the community.
Despite these increases, the COVID-19 death rate in L.A. County has remained stable, with an average of fewer than one death per day.
The summer surge in cases is often attributed to increased travel and gatherings, especially as most of the population has stopped wearing masks and many are far removed from their last COVID-19 booster shot.
As of now, only a small percentage of Californians, especially among younger adults and those aged 50 to 64, have received the updated COVID vaccine since its introduction in September. The CDC emphasizes the importance of vaccination for everyone aged 6 months and older, with an updated vaccine formula expected in the fall.
CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen has stressed the importance of planning for both flu and COVID vaccinations this fall to protect against respiratory illnesses.
This report was initially published in the Los Angeles Times.