Health officials reported lower rates of hospitalizations, cases and death due to COVID-19 on Thursday, and they encouraged residents of Los Angeles County to get vaccinated ahead of fall holidays to aid in preventing a “winter surge” like the one that happened last year.
The average daily case rate, with a three-day lag, is now nine cases per 100,000 people, which decreased from 11 cases per 100,000 people, reported Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Public Health Department, on Thursday during her weekly media briefing.
Although she noted this was a drop in case numbers, substantial transmission continues throughout the county. Of nearly 10.3 million L.A. County residents, including those who are not yet eligible for the vaccine, 67% received at least one dose, about 6.9 million, and 60% are fully vaccinated, about 6.2 million, she said.
“Between Sept. 27 and Oct. 3, we administered about 45,000 doses across the entire county network, which was an increase of about 2,000 doses from the prior week,” Ferrer said. “And while it might rise a few thousand more, it indicates that despite our very best efforts, our vaccination progress is still going much more slowly.”
She added that fall holidays are close, and most L.A. County residents are looking forward to celebrating Halloween. The safest activities are those outside such as outdoor costume parties, pumpkin patch visits, outdoor ghost tours, hay rides and trick-or-treating, when done safely.
“Whenever possible aim to be outside, particularly if you’re with individuals, including children that are not yet vaccinated,” Ferrer said.
Public Health officials also released the following updated COVID-19 statistics Thursday:
Countywide COVID-19 cases reported in the past 24 hours: 1,467,450
Total COVID-19 cases reported in the past 24 hours: 1,222
New deaths related to COVID-19 in the past 24 hours: 28
Total COVID-19 deaths in L.A. County: 26,254
Hospitalizations countywide: 750
COVID-19 cases reported in the Santa Clarita Valley in the past 24 hours: 67, 53 of which came from the city of Santa Clarita
Total COVID-19 cases in the SCV as of Oct. 7: 36,127
Total COVID-19 deaths in the SCV as of Oct. 5: 338
