Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital announced two additional deaths related to COVID-19 Wednesday, as Los Angeles County Department of Public Health officials reported 2,551 new COVID-19 cases countywide — 20 times the number of cases reported this time last month.
A total of 102 new cases were reported Wednesday across the Santa Clarita Valley — more than double was reported the same time last week — with 80 of those coming from the city of Santa Clarita, Public Health reported.
The additional deaths bring the hospital’s total deaths to 151 since the pandemic began, according to hospital spokesman Patrick Moody, while the SCV has reported had a total of 307 deaths.
As of Wednesday, Henry Mayo had 10 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, with a total of 1,278 COVID-19 patients discharged, Moody added.
Wednesday’s test positivity rate was reportedly 5.2% countywide, while the rate was 0.7% just a month ago, according to Public Health.
Public Health officials continued to urge residents to get vaccinated, as those who are unvaccinated are at the highest risk of contracting COVID-19, along with wear masks, which is again required indoors countywide, regardless of vaccination status.
“Because of the more infectious Delta variant and the intermingling of unmasked individuals where vaccination status is unknown, unfortunately, we are seeing a surge in cases in L.A. County that looks somewhat similar to last summer,” Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a prepared statement. “By adding a mask requirement for everyone indoors, the risk for transmission of the virus will be reduced, and with increases in the number of people getting vaccinated, we should be able to get back to slowing the spread. … It is important that we work together to drive down transmission so that there will be much less community transmission when schools reopen.”
Public Health officials also released the following updated COVID-19 statistics Thursday:
New COVID-19 cases reported in L.A. County in the past 24 hours: 2,551
Total COVID-19 cases in L.A. County: 1,273,390
New deaths related to COVID-19 reported: 7
Total COVID-19 deaths in L.A. County: 24,594
Hospitalizations countywide: 585; 23% of which are in the ICU.
Hospitalizations at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital as of July 21: 10, with 1,278 discharged since the onset of the pandemic.
COVID-19 cases reported in the Santa Clarita Valley in the past 24 hours: 102, 80 of which came from the city of Santa Clarita.
Total COVID-19 cases in the SCV: 29,022
Total COVID-19 deaths in the SCV as of July 20: 307
Percentage of vaccinated people (at least one dose) in the city of Santa Clarita as of July 16: 70.6%
Percentage of vaccinated people (at least one dose) in the SCV as of July 16: 67.1%