As Los Angeles County reports its second and third confirmed cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital announced three deaths related to the virus Monday.
This is the first time Henry Mayo reported any deceased patients since Nov. 15, bringing the hospital’s total to 184 COVID-19-related deaths since the onset of the pandemic, according to hospital spokesman Patrick Moody.
The county’s second confirmed Omicron case was reportedly a college student who returned to L.A. County after holiday travel on the East Coast. The individual is fully vaccinated, had mild symptoms and is self-isolating, according to L.A. County Department of Public Health officials.
The other individual recently traveled from West Africa, is fully vaccinated, had mild symptoms and is self-isolating, per Public Health.
Due to the emergence of the Omicron variant and approaching holidays, Public Health officials also announced Monday a modification of the health officer order for skilled nursing facilities, which have been deemed some of the highest risk for contracting COVID-19.
The new order is set to require routine testing of residents and staff, along with recent testing for visitors entering any indoor spaces at these facilities, from Dec. 15 through Jan. 31.
Regardless of vaccination status, residents, employees and contractors who may encounter residents must test for COVID-19 infection once a week, while all visitors must provide proof of either a negative PCR test performed within 72 hours or a negative antigen test performed within 24 hours prior to entry. Those who show documentation of recovery from COVID-19 within the last 90 days are exempt from weekly testing.
Public Health officials also released the following updated COVID-19 statistics Monday:
Countywide COVID-19 cases reported in the past 24 hours: 1,103
Total COVID-19 cases in L.A. County: 1,537,450
New deaths related to COVID-19 reported in the past 24 hours: 2
Total COVID-19 deaths in L.A. County: 27,248
Hospitalizations countywide: 595
Hospitalizations at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital as of Dec. 6: 11, with 1,663 discharged since the onset of the pandemic.
COVID-19 cases reported in the Santa Clarita Valley in the past 24 hours: 43, 33 of which came from the city of Santa Clarita
Total COVID-19 cases in the SCV: 39,337
Total COVID-19 deaths in the SCV as of Dec. 6: 362
Percentage of vaccinated people (at least one dose) in the city of Santa Clarita as of Nov. 28: 76.3%*
Percentage of vaccinated people (at least one dose) in the SCV as of Nov. 28: 73.0%*
*These figures now include all eligible Los Angeles County residents ages 5 and older.
