The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health released updated COVID-19 figures Thursday reporting more than 5,000 COVID-19 cases, the highest number of daily cases since the onset of the pandemic.
“We’re now seeing a much more rapid surge in cases than we saw in the summer,” L.A. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said during Thursday’s media briefing. “With yesterday’s and today’s case counts, our two-day average of daily new cases is around 4,500 cases. … At this point, no one should be still underestimating the spread of this virus, nor should anyone be questioning the actions we still need to slow the spread and lessen its impact on our collective health and our local economy.”
The health officer order is expected to be amended and new restrictions, including the mandatory closure of all non-essential businesses between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., are set to be effective Friday, but if these increases in figures continue at this rate, L.A. County could be at risk of additional restrictions, including the closure of dine-in services at restaurants and possibly a curfew.
If the county’s five-day average in COVID-19 cases becomes 4,000 or more, or hospitalizations reach more than 1,750 per day, the county is expected to revise the health officer order to prohibit outdoor and indoor dining at restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars, with these businesses only able to offer pickup and delivery.
Then, if the five-day average of cases in the county reaches 4,500 or more or hospitalizations are more than 2,000 per day, a “Safer at Home” order is expected to be instituted for three weeks, which would only allow essential workers and those securing essential services to leave their homes, along with mandating a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, with essential workers exempt.
Public Health reported the following updated figures Thursday:
Countywide COVID-19 cases reported in the past 24 hours: 5,031
Total COVID-19 cases in L.A. County: 353,232
New deaths related to COVID-19 reported in the past 24 hours: 29
Total COVID-19 deaths in L.A. County: 7,363
Hospitalizations countywide: 1,238; 28% 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: 143, 120 of which came from the city of Santa Clarita.
Total COVID-19 cases in the SCV: 8,624
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: 5,423
Unincorporated – Acton: 98
Unincorporated – Agua Dulce: 54
Unincorporated – Bouquet Canyon: 16
Unincorporated – Canyon Country: 198
Unincorporated – Castaic: 2,298 (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: 256
Unincorporated – Val Verde: 113
Unincorporated – Valencia: 59
To view all coronavirus-related stories, visit signalscv.com/category/news/coronavirus.
