Department of Public Health officials reported 31 new COVID-19 cases in the Santa Clarita Valley for the past 24 hours, as officials Monday released the latest results of countywide testing.
After clearing the case backlog, Public Health reported that Los Angeles County is seeing about 1,200 COVID-19 cases per day since the beginning of October.
To better understand the community spread after clearing the backlog, public health officials tracked cases using the date a positive test was given and found cases have increased from an average of 940 per day, to the current rate, which officials called a significant rise.
“This increase, while not as steep as seen in July, is cause for concern,” officials stated in a news release.
Due to the increase in case numbers, Public Health officials once again urged residents to make modifications to Halloween celebrations as COVID-19 cases increased across the county during a briefing Monday.
Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health director, suggested families partake in socially distanced activities in order to mitigate community transmission of the virus, saying families could throw virtual Halloween parties, scavenger hunts and visit a drive-in movie theater.
“It’s not safe to celebrate the holidays the way we’re used to,” Ferrer said. “That carries a lot of risk of transmission of the virus. We’re asking the community to do their part to keep the case count low.”
Ferrer also said trick-or-treating and trunk-or-treating were not safe activities to do this Halloween, and suggested families make arrangements so the holiday can be celebrated in a safe manner. She added haunted houses also pose a risk and violate the public health safety order.
An update to the health safety order was provided, stating wineries and breweries no longer require a reservation, but public health officials still recommend making reservations in order to maintain social distance.
Ferrer also said outdoor activities such as batting cages, mini golf and go-karts can start operation again as long as masks are worn and social distancing is mandated.
The Department of Public Health also released the following updated COVID-19 figures during the press briefing Monday, adding the backlog of cases has been cleared but a delay of weekend reporting is attributed to the low case count:
COVID-19 cases reported in the Santa Clarita Valley in the past 24 hours: 31
Total COVID-19 cases in the SCV: 7,118
Total COVID-19 deaths in the SCV: 73
Countywide COVID-19 cases reported in the past 24 hours: 861
Total COVID-19 cases in L.A. County: 300,614
New deaths related to COVID-19 reported in the past 24 hours: 8
Total COVID-19 deaths in L.A. County: 7,000
Hospitalizations countywide: 767; 29% of whom are in the ICU and 14% on ventilators.
Hospitalizations at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital as of Oct. 21: 12, with 290 discharged since the onset of the pandemic.
The latest number of SCV cases, including all area health care providers’ daily figures and those at Pitchess Detention Center, broken down into region, are as follows:
City of Santa Clarita: 4,219
Unincorporated – Acton: 83
Unincorporated – Agua Dulce: 31
Unincorporated – Bouquet Canyon: 10
Unincorporated – Canyon Country: 172
Unincorporated – Castaic: 2,166 (majority of Castaic cases come from Pitchess Detention Center, exact number unavailable)
Unincorporated – Lake Hughes: 5
Unincorporated – Newhall: 26
Unincorporated – Placerita Canyon: 0
Unincorporated – San Francisquito Canyon/Bouquet Canyon: 0
Unincorporated – Sand Canyon: 7
Unincorporated – Saugus: 36
Unincorporated – Saugus/Canyon Country: 11
Unincorporated – Stevenson Ranch: 197
Unincorporated – Val Verde: 103
Unincorporated – Valencia: 52
To view all coronavirus-related stories, visit signalscv.com/category/news/coronavirus.
