Approximately 1 in 250 people in L.A. County were reported as being COVID-19 positive in the last 24 hours, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, beating the previous daily record established Thursday.
According to the Public Health Department, 43,712 COVID-19 positive cases were reported on Friday, with 28 new deaths.
“This follows yesterday’s record number of over 37,000 cases, which was the previous record for highest daily case counts,” said the Public Health Department, referencing Thursday’s numbers. “As Public Health continues to respond to this latest surge, the county’s health system is experiencing significant health care workforce shortages due to high rates of COVID transmission.”
The L.A. County Department of Public reported 973 new cases among countywide health care workers between Dec. 30 and Jan. 6, an increase of 47% overall.
“In total, there have been 50,353 health care workers and first responders confirmed with COVID-19 in Los Angeles County,” said the Public Health release. “Among occupations, nursing staff accounted for 27% of new cases. Public Health is also reporting that among all health care workers, over one-third (39%) reported being exposed to a known case within their facility, either a patient and/or co-worker.”
The revised order from the Los Angeles County Health Officer, ordered on Dec. 23, required booster-eligible workers in health care settings be boosted by Feb. 1, or be tested for COVID-19 twice a week beginning Dec. 27 (if in acute health care or long-term care settings).
In the Santa Clarita Valley alone, there were 1,303 reported cases in the last 24 hours, 977 of which came from the city of Santa Clarita.
All COVID-19 services are free to L.A. County residents and can be accessed by anyone regardless of insurance or immigration status. To find a COVID-19 vaccine site near you, visit VaccinateLACounty.com, or to find a testing site, visit covid19.lacounty.gov/testing.
Public Health officials also released the following updated COVID-19 statistics Friday:
Countywide COVID-19 cases reported in the past 24 hours: 43,712
Total COVID-19 cases in L.A. County: 1,887,526
New deaths related to COVID-19 reported in the past 24 hours: 28
Total COVID-19 deaths in L.A. County: 27,756
Hospitalizations countywide: 2,902
Hospitalizations at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital as of Jan. 6: 58, with 1,761 discharged since the onset of the pandemic.
COVID-19 cases reported in the Santa Clarita Valley in the past 24 hours: 1,303, 977 of which came from the city of Santa Clarita.
Total COVID-19 cases in the SCV: 50,440
Total COVID-19 deaths in the SCV as of Jan. 6: 375
Percentage of vaccinated people (at least one dose) in the city of Santa Clarita as of Dec. 23: 78.6%
Percentage of vaccinated people (at least one dose) in the SCV as of Dec. 23: 75.1%