The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported a 7.3% positivity rate during a press briefing Friday, which is up from 3.9% reported at the beginning of the month.
“This is a serious situation,” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. “We’re seeing a faster increase than we saw in the summer, and it’s continuing to increase.” Ferrer encouraged the community to modify Thanksgiving plans in order to mitigate community transmission of the virus.
The updated health officer order issued by Public Health was set to go into effect Friday night, stating non-essential business operations and gatherings must stop between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
The health order was updated after county officials said they reported the largest cases in a single day Thursday, which amounted to over 5,000. Restaurants must close in-person dining after 10 p.m., but can still deliver or have patrons order takeout.
Public Health reported the following updated figures Friday:
Countywide COVID-19 cases reported in the past 24 hours: 4,272
Total COVID-19 cases in L.A. County: 357,451
New deaths related to COVID-19 reported in the past 24 hours: 35
Total COVID-19 deaths in L.A. County: 7,396
Hospitalizations countywide: 1,298; 27% of whom are in the ICU.
Hospitalizations at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital as of Nov. 18: 20, with 348 discharged since the onset of the pandemic.
COVID-19 cases reported in the Santa Clarita Valley in the past 24 hours: 118, 88 of which came from the city of Santa Clarita and 20 from Castaic.
Total COVID-19 cases in the SCV: 8,742
Total COVID-19 deaths in the SCV as of Nov. 18: 80
The numbers 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: 5,511
Unincorporated – Acton: 99
Unincorporated – Agua Dulce: 54
Unincorporated – Bouquet Canyon: 16
Unincorporated – Canyon Country: 200
Unincorporated – Castaic: 2,318 (majority of Castaic cases come from Pitchess Detention Center, exact number unavailable)
Unincorporated – Lake Hughes: 10
Unincorporated – Newhall: 31
Unincorporated – Placerita Canyon: 0
Unincorporated – San Francisquito Canyon/Bouquet Canyon: 3
Unincorporated – Sand Canyon: 7
Unincorporated – Saugus: 46
Unincorporated – Saugus/Canyon Country: 12
Unincorporated – Stevenson Ranch: 262
Unincorporated – Val Verde: 114
Unincorporated – Valencia: 59
To view all coronavirus-related stories, visit signalscv.com/category/news/coronavirus.
