3,694 New Positive Cases and 20 New Deaths Due to COVID-19 in Los Angeles County

LOS ANGELES, CA, Aug 26 – As thousands of individuals in Los Angeles County continue to be infected with COVID-19, medical treatments are readily available to prevent patients who have one or more risk factors from becoming very sick, hospitalized, or dying from the infection. Residents who do become infected should contact their health provider as soon as possible because the treatments work best when symptoms are still mild or moderate.

The 7-day average case count is now at 2,976, a 17% decline from one week ago when an average of 3,577 cases were reported over the previous 7 days.

Deaths, which typically lag hospitalizations by several weeks, are at an average of 14 this past week, up slightly from an average of 12 deaths the week prior.

As thousands of residents test positive for COVID-19 every week, there continues to be those who are hospitalized for and, unfortunately, some who die from their infection.

There is an ample supply of potentially life-saving treatments – more than 135,000 – available at more than 1,000 hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, Public Health sites, and other locations across the county.

Residents who may be at higher risk of getting very sick if infected, including those who are 50 or older, unvaccinated or not up-to-date with vaccinations, and many other factors, can be treated with either an oral medication, Paxlovid or Molnupiravir, or an intravenous medication, Remdesivir or Bebtelovimab.

Paxlovid can be prescribed to people age 12 and older. It is taken by mouth twice daily for 5 days. Molnupiravir is only for adults age 18 and older and should not be given to a pregnant person. It is taken by mouth twice daily for 5 days.

So far, nearly 153,000 patient antiviral treatments have been administered in LA County, and medications are widely available, with more locations being added. Of the more than 1,000 health care facilities that have been allocated therapeutic medications to treat COVID, more than half of these sites are located in communities with the fewest resources and greatest health risk.

Also, 135 of these sites are convenient Test-to-Treat locations. These sites include CVS Minute Clinics and Walgreens that allow patients to walk in to get tested for COVID-19, evaluated, and treated on the same visit at the same location. To find a Test-to-Treat sites, residents can go to https://aspr.hhs.gov/TestToTreat/Pages/default.aspx.

Residents who are eligible to receive medication may also call the Public Health Telehealth Program at 1-833-540-0473, 7 days a week, between 8:00 am and 8:30 pm. This program, which has already assisted more than 3,400 patients, can answer questions, help direct residents to a Test-to-Treat site near their home, or connect individuals with a healthcare provider for a medical assessment through telehealth. If a person is determined to be eligible, they can receive medication shipped overnight to their home.

“I send my deepest sympathies and wishes of peace and comfort to the many families who have lost a loved one from COVID-19,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “COVID therapeutic medications can be lifesaving for people with risk factors for developing severe illness. As a result, they have been provided for free by the federal government for many months up to this point in the pandemic. An important part of Public Health’s work is to partner with healthcare providers to make it as easy as possible to access these free medications for those that need them. These medications are all currently available for free, whether you have insurance or not. Note that in some cases, healthcare providers may charge for their medical assessment. Anyone with COVID who has risk factors for severe disease is encouraged to always consult with their own primary healthcare provider first, if you have one. Your own healthcare provider will always know your health best. If you don’t have a healthcare provider, call 2-1-1.”

Today, Public Health reported 20 additional deaths and 3,694 new positive cases. Of the 20 new deaths reported today, one person was between the ages of 30-49, two people were between the ages of 50-64, four people were between the ages of 65-79, and thirteen people were aged 80 years or older. Of the 20 newly reported deaths, 19 had underlying health conditions. To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 33,096.

Public Health has reported a total of 3,396,657 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 8.5%.

Hospitalization numbers for today and Thursday, August 25 are currently pending, as the county awaits more information from the California Department of Public Health. Testing results are available for more than 12,450,321 individuals, with 24% of people testing positive.