According to state figures, there were 1,724 positive COVID patients in Los Angeles County hospitals as of Monday, up from 1,722 on Sunday. The number of patients cared for in intensive care units, however, continued to rise to 454 on Monday. That exceeds 439 on Sunday.
The county reported seven new deaths from COVID on Monday, along with 2,331 cases. Statistics released Monday tend to be artificially low due to delays in reporting since the weekend.
The new casualties raised the county’s total death toll from COVID to 25,078. Since the pandemic began, the county has confirmed 1,385,505 infections.
The average rotating rate of people who tested positive for the virus was 2.8% as of Monday, up from 3.4% the previous week.
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Over the weekend, county health officials released statistics aimed at encouraging people to get vaccinated against COVID. According to the county, as of Aug. 7, unvaccinated adults between the ages of 18 and 49 were 25 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than vaccinated adults of the same age. Meanwhile, unvaccinated adults over the age of 50 were nearly a dozen times more likely to be hospitalized than their vaccinated counterparts and 17 times more likely to die, according to the county.
On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fully approved the Pfizer vaccine. It was the first of three U.S. vaccines to receive this approval. All three versions of the vaccine have been in circulation under FDA emergency use authorization.
“The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and remains the most powerful tool we have to reduce the risk of infection and protect against serious disease and death from COVID-19 if infected,” said the public health director of the county, Barbara Ferrer. Tools to help reduce and prevent transmission wear a mask, keep your distance, avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, and wash your hands frequently.
“We thank the many scientists and researchers who have worked tirelessly to develop and evaluate vaccines during the most difficult public health crisis of our lives. We are also grateful to the FDA for their thoughtful analysis and review processes to ensure we can have “I am confident that the vaccine is safe and effective. I hope that the goal of full approval of this vaccine will give those who hoped to be vaccinated the confidence to take this important step.”
The latest figures show that 73% of county residents 12 years of age or older have received at least one dose of vaccine and 63% are fully vaccinated. Among residents age 65 and older, 90% have received at least one dose and 80% are fully vaccinated.
On Friday, the health department reminded residents of the need to get tested if they have symptoms or have been exposed to the virus, even if they are completely vaccinated. These people should also isolate themselves from others while waiting for test results, according to the county.
The county also urged people to cooperate with contact tracers, who contact those who test positive or have been exposed. The contact tracking process is considered crucial to identify people who may have been exposed to the virus without their knowledge and to contain possible outbreaks.
Contact tracers can also provide information on isolation and quarantine and how to access services and providers.
Contact tracer calls will be displayed on phones such as LA Public Health ”or 833-641-0305.
People who tested positive for COVID-19 but did not receive any calls from contact tracers were urged to call 833-540-0473.
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