Four COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported to be active throughout the Santa Clarita Valley as of Thursday, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Kaiser Permanente’s Santa Clarita Post-Acute Care Center located in Newhall, Pitchess Detention Center’s North County Correctional Facility, and West Ranch High School were reported to be the locations of the outbreaks.
However, according to Debbie Dunn, communications coordinator for the William S. Hart Union High School District, the Hart district was notified by the Department of Public Health that the West Ranch outbreak was concluded on Oct. 2. The L.A. County Department of Public Health’s website was last updated on Thursday.
“When there are three or more positive cases linked through any kind of shared activity, it is classified as an outbreak,” wrote Dunn in an email to The Signal. “LADPH doesn’t require notification, but the school did notify parents through email, including best practices to avoid COVID and instructions if symptoms arise.”
Dunn added that staff, per Cal OSHA requirements, are always notified of close contacts. Nurses are required to report to the Health Department.
According to the L.A. County Department of Public Health, the city of Santa Clarita has accumulated 75,165 cases of COVID-19 and 468 deaths. According to DPH, 82 positive cases of COVID-19 have been identified since Oct. 3.
“The number of seven-day average daily cases is presented by episode date, an approximation of the date the illness began, and reflects data for the seven-day period ending Saturday,” wrote the L.A. County Department of Public Health on its website about the how the numbers are collected. “The number of seven-day average daily deaths is presented by date of death and reflects data for the seven-day period ending Monday with a three-week lag. This is a change from how case and death data were presented prior to 7/27/23, which was by date of report.”
The DPH recommends the following to reduce one’s risk of contracting COVID-19: Practice good hygiene, ask for COVID-19 medicine as soon as possible, stay home when sick, test for COVID-19, improve ventilation, wear a mask and get the updated COVID-19 vaccine that was release this fall.
