Over 44,000 COVID-19 cases reported over weekend

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Los Angeles County Public Health officials reported the highest 48-hour total of COVID-19 cases during the holiday weekend on Sunday, as well as the highest number in the Santa Clarita Valley.    

In a news release shared on their website and social media, Department of Public Health officials said that L.A. County reported 23,553 new cases on Saturday, 21,200 on Sunday and 16,269 on Monday.   

Additionally, hospitalizations have risen to 1,729, and more than 22.5% of those getting tested are positive for COVID-19.  
 

On Monday, the Department of Public Health reported that pediatric hospitalizations are increasing, and parents are advised to take precautions with the surging numbers of cases. 

LA County Public Health increased access to tests for schools and is working to give at-home test kits for the county’s 1.4 million school-aged students.  
 

“As students return to the classroom, we all need to follow the public health safety measures in place to ensure our schools can open safely after the winter break,” Public Health Director  Barbara Ferrer said. “Because higher community transmission creates additional challenges at our schools, everyone needs to do their part to slow the spread of the virus.” 

Additionally, Ferrer said, “families need to act urgently to get their school-aged children vaccinated.” 
 

She also advised that children and staff should have a negative test result for COVID-19 the first week back in school. 

While this brings the Los Angeles County total to 1,741,292 cases, the number of deaths increased by two over the weekend — and eight on Monday — bringing the total number of deaths to 27,640 since the onset of the pandemic.    
 

Public health officials also reported that, of the eight deaths that took place, two were between the ages of 30 and 49, and the rest were 50 years and older; seven of the deaths were related to underlying conditions.  

In the Santa Clarita Valley, 1,581 new cases were reported for the holiday weekend, and on Monday, 538 additional cases were reported.  

“Our hearts remain with those families experiencing the sorrow of losing those they love to COVID,” officials said in a statement released Sunday. “We hope that by working together to implement essential public health safety measures, we can stay safe, protect those we love, and keep our schools and businesses open.”  

Masks may be uncomfortable for some but are encouraged. Additionally, individuals are spreading COVID 48 hours before they are symptomatic, according to Ferrer.   
 

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 Monday:    
 

Saturday: 23,553  

Sunday: 21,200  

Monday: 16,269 

Total COVID-19 cases in L.A. County: 1,757,522 

New deaths related to COVID-19 reported in the past 24 hours: 8   
 

Total COVID-19 deaths in L.A. County: 27,647   

Hospitalizations countywide: 1,792 
 

Hospitalizations at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital as of Jan. 3: 38, with 1,742 discharged since the onset of the pandemic.     
 

COVID-19 cases reported in the Santa Clarita Valley in the past 24 hours: 538, 430 of which came from the city of Santa Clarita.    
 

Total COVID-19 cases in the SCV: 46,115   

Total COVID-19 deaths in the SCV as of Jan. 3: 375    

Percentage of vaccinated people (at least one dose) in the city of Santa Clarita as of Dec. 26: 78.7%

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