AMTV/LOS ANGELES, CA, Nov 18 – One week before the Thanksgiving holiday, Los Angeles County is reporting rising cases of COVID-19, increased circulation of new Omicron strains, and high transmission of other respiratory illnesses including the flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. Reducing transmission of these viruses is helped by wearing a well-fitting high filtration mask and results in less disruptions and illness, which can protect our healthcare system from becoming overwhelmed.
The COVID-19 case rate is now over 100 new cases per 100,000 individuals– up from 86 cases per 100,000 one week ago. Indoor masking in all indoor public spaces is now highly recommended, in accordance with the LA County COVID Response Plan. The recommendation covers indoor spaces at schools, retail establishments, entertainment venues, public transit, correctional and detention facilities, and at homeless and emergency shelters. Masking continues to be required for people who have been exposed to COVID during the past 10 days, in healthcare settings and congregate care facilities, and anywhere where it is required by the site.
Throughout the pandemic there has been mounting evidence that wearing a mask is an effective way to limit the spread of respiratory viruses. With the current case rate of 100 cases per 100,000 individuals, at a 200 person event, the probability that at least one person at the event is infected with COVID-19 is 45-60%. If the case rate continues to increase and reaches 150 cases per 100,000 individuals, this probability jumps to 60-75%.
The county is also seeing increased circulation of newly emerging COVID-19 strains BQ.1 and BQ.1.1. Combined, the two subvariants comprise 26% of sequenced specimens, surpassing the threshold for High Concern in the county’s Early Alert Signals. This is only the second week of tracking these strains as new subvariants of interest in the LA County Early Alert Signals. Last week this indicator was at 17%.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicts that, for the week ending November 12, BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 combined will account for about 45% of sequenced specimens nationwide and this prediction is the same for Region 9, which includes California plus Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, and U.S. territories.
LA County continues to see steep increases in flu positivity, with rates significantly higher than expected for this point during the flu season. Also, RSV percent positivity is still extremely high, surpassing the peak rates seen over the previous four seasons.
Planning ahead and taking straightforward actions can reduce the risk of transmission at Thanksgiving and holiday gatherings. Public Health recommends masking and testing when traveling, testing before l gathering, particularly if gathering with those more vulnerable for serious illness, increasing ventilation by staying outdoors or, if indoors, opening windows and doors and using an air purifying system, and staying home if sick.
A critical strategy for reducing the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 is being up-to-date with COVID vaccines. Residents age 5 years and older are eligible for the new updated Fall COVID-19 booster. This bivalent booster can protect against both the original virus that causes COVID-19 and Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. These two subvariants are different, but they have the same spike protein, and the new Fall bivalent booster offers protection against both. The bivalent booster is also expected to provide protection against the BQ strains, which are sublineages of BA.5.
Unfortunately, in LA County, uptake of the bivalent booster lags. Of the almost 7.5 million residents age 5 years and older who are eligible for a bivalent booster only about 14%, or 1.02 million have received one. Nearly 86% of these residents, or almost 6.5 million people, have not yet received the bivalent booster
The updated Fall COVID-19 boosters, plus flu vaccines, are readily available at Public Health sites, pharmacies, and other locations across the county. Seniors and residents who can’t easily leave their home can contact Public Health telehealth services at (833) 540-0473, seven days a week, from 8:00 am to 8:30 pm to arrange for at-home COVID-19 Fall booster and primary series vaccinations or transportation to a vaccination center. Insurance is not required, and callers can be assisted in multiple languages.
Residents can also go to VaccinateLACounty.com to find nearby vaccination sites, request a mobile vaccination team for your worksite or community event, or an in-home visit if you or someone you know is homebound.
The 7-day average case count in the county is 1,556, a nearly 17% increase from one week ago when the 7-day average of 1,326 cases was reported.
Over the past seven days, the average number of daily COVID-positive patients in LA County hospitals increased to 582, a 26% increase from one week prior when the average number of COVID-positive patients per day was 461.
Deaths, which typically lag hospitalizations by several weeks, have increased slightly from an average of 8 deaths reported each day this past week. The week before, an average of 7 deaths were reported daily.
“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. “In winter, we find ourselves indoors more often – at family holiday gatherings, entertainment events and shopping for gifts – all situations that can increase exposure to COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses like the flu and RSV, especially if not wearing a mask. With rising rates of transmission, there is an increased probability that you may be exposed to someone with COVID-19 as you gather with friends and family, travel, and shop. We can reduce the risk of disrupting holiday plans and exposing those most vulnerable, including very small children, older adults, and essential workers, to dangerous viruses by being up to date on flu and COVID vaccines, wearing a well-fitting high filtration mask when indoors, staying home and away from others if ill, and testing before gathering and before and after traveling. While the three viruses currently circulating at elevated levels, COVID-19, flu, and RSV, are not new, this season is the first time all three are circulating at high levels at the same time. This creates additional risks of overwhelming our health care system, making it difficult for our healthcare workers to meet the high demand for services. We can each make a difference now by protecting ourselves and those around us.”
Today, Public Health reported 8 additional deaths and 2,249 new positive cases. Of the 8 new deaths reported today, 4 people were between the ages of 65-79, and 4 people were aged 80 years or older. Of the 8 newly reported deaths, all had underlying health conditions. To date, the total number of deaths in L.A. County is 34,098.
Public Health has reported a total of 3,515,225 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County. Today’s positivity rate is 6.8%
There are 666 people with COVID-19 currently hospitalized. Testing results are available for more than 12,693,195 individuals, with 24% of people testing positive.
5月7日伦敦报道，英国能源巨头壳牌公司（Shell）今天公布了超预期的今年第一季度利润，这主要得益于伊朗战争导致能源价格飙升。 根据伦敦证券交易所集团（LSEG）汇编的市场共识数据，这家英国能源巨头在今年前三个月录得69.2亿美元的调整后收益，超出了分析师此前预期的61亿美元。而根据壳牌公司自身提供的另一份分析师预测数据，其预期的第一季度利润为63.6亿美元。 相比之下，壳牌公司在一年前的同期录得55.8亿美元的调整后收益，而在2025年第四季度则录得32.6亿美元。 壳牌公司首席执行官萨万（Wael Sawan）在一份声明中表示：“尽管本季度全球能源市场遭遇了前所未有的剧烈动荡，但凭借我们对运营绩效的持续不懈关注，壳牌依然交出了一份强劲的业绩答卷。” 此外，壳牌公司下调了其季度股票回购的规模，从35亿美元降至30亿美元；与此同时，该公司宣布将股息上调5%，达到每股0.3906美元。 截至今年第一季度末，壳牌公司的净债务达到526亿美元，高于去年年底的457亿美元。 上个月，壳牌宣布已同意收购加拿大能源公司ARC。这笔含净债务及租赁负债，旨在提升产量的交易总价值高达164亿美元。 壳牌首席执行官萨万对该收购案给予了高度评价。该加拿大公司专注于加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省和艾伯塔省境内的蒙特尼页岩盆地。萨万称该公司为一家“高质量、低成本且碳强度处于行业前四分之一水平的低碳生产商”，并指出此次收购，将为壳牌公司未来数十年的资源基础提供有力支撑。 此次壳牌公司发布财报之际，各大能源巨头的股价正经历显著提振，自2月28日由美国和以色列主导的先发制人的对伊朗战争爆发以来，全球化石燃料价格便一路飙升。 具有战略重要性的霍尔木兹海峡持续遭受美伊战争的严重干扰，国际能源署（IEA）对此形容称，这已构成了“历史上最大的能源安全威胁”。 自伊朗战争爆发以来，油价已累计上涨约40%；尽管如此，受冲突有望结束的乐观情绪提振，布伦特原油期货和美国西德克萨斯中质原油（WTI）期货在上一交易日均出现大幅下跌。
5月7日东京报道，日本股市今天上涨超过5%，基准指数日经225指数（Nikkei 225）首次突破6.2万点大关。尽管中东局势再度紧张，但亚太地区市场整体仍呈现强劲反弹。此次区域性市场的普遍上扬，发生在美国总统特朗普发出警告之后。 日经225指数上涨5%，其中基础材料、科技和金融板块的个股领涨。作为该指数的权重股，软银集团（Softbank）的股价飙升超过13%。 日本电子与陶瓷产品供应商伊比登株式会社（Ibiden）表现最为亮眼，股价攀升17%；而制造及金属企业三井金属（Mitsui Kinzoku）也上涨了16%。此外，瑞萨电子（Renesas Electronics）上涨13%，化工及材料公司东曹株式会社（Tosoh Corporation）更是飙升了12%。 东证指数（Topix）也上涨了2.37%。在澳大利亚，标普/澳交所200指数（S&P/ASX 200）上涨了0.9%。 韩国股市方面，综合指数（Kospi）回吐此前涨幅，下跌0.68%；小盘股指数KOSDAQ也下滑了0.56%。香港恒生指数大涨1.47%，而中国内地的沪深300指数则小幅上扬0.38%。 特朗普总统此前曾表示，若伊朗未能同意达成和平协议，将遭到“更高烈度”的轰炸打击。 特朗普总统发出上述最新威胁之际，正有相关报道指出，美国与伊朗似乎正接近达成一项结束战争的协议。 特朗普总统在社交媒体平台“真实社交”上发帖表示，若伊朗“同意兑现此前已达成一致的承诺——尽管这或许是一个过于乐观的假设”，那么美军代号为“史诗之怒行动”（Operation Epic Fury）的军事攻势“便将宣告终结”。…
5月6日新泽西州伯灵顿报道，美国连锁折扣零售商伯灵顿商店（Burlington）计划于本月在20个州开设逾24家新店。目前在全美已拥有超过1000家门店的零售商，随着业务版图持续不断扩张。 伯灵店连锁商店曾在今年3月份宣布，在截至2027年1月30日的2026财年内，计划净增110家新店，并将在佐治亚州萨凡纳（Savannah）新建一座配送中心。 截至2025财年第四季度末，伯灵顿商店共运营着1212家门店，业务范围覆盖全美46个州，以及华盛顿特区和美国自由邦波多黎各。 伯灵顿新店盛大开业活动预计将于5月8日拉开帷幕，首批开业的四家门店分别位于加利福尼亚州的圣塔克拉利塔（Santa Clarita)、俄亥俄州的哥伦布（Columbus)，以及华盛顿州的肯特（Kent）和朗维尤（Longview）社区。 伯灵顿商店将于5月15日迎来更大规模的门店开业潮，共有12家门店定于以下地点正式开业： 亚利桑那州阿文代尔（Avondale) 加利福尼亚州贝克斯菲尔德（Bakersfield) 佛罗里达州杰克逊维尔（Jacksonville) 伊利诺伊州伯本奈（Bourbonnais) 肯塔基州路易斯维尔（Louisville) 密歇根州格拉蒂奥特堡镇（Fort Gratiot Township) 纽约州埃尔迈拉（Elmira）…
5月6日德州奥斯汀报道，美国亿万富翁马斯克（Elon Musk）计划在德克萨斯州东部建造的“特拉法布”（Terafab）大型芯片制造工厂，其第一阶段工程的成本预计至少为550亿美元；若项目全面建成，总投资额最高可能达到1190亿美元。 该芯片工厂的预估资本投资金额来自该拟建工厂所在地德克萨斯州格莱姆斯县（Grimes County）今天发布的一份公开听证会通知，因为马斯克实际控制的太空探索技术公司（SpaceX）正寻求与该县达成一项房产税减免协议。格莱姆斯县定于6月3日举行公开听证会，以审议上述拟议的税收优惠方案。 此前，目前已收购人工智能企业xAI的太空探索技术公司上个月在社交平台X上发布的一条帖子显示，身兼特斯拉（Tesla）首席执行官的马斯克，其目标是将这座名为“特拉法布”的芯片工厂打造为“史上最宏大的芯片制造工程——将逻辑芯片、存储芯片及先进封装技术集于同一屋檐之下”。马斯克已于今年3月正式启动了该项目。 这座位于德克萨斯州奥斯汀（Austin）郊外的芯片综合制造基地，旨在为太空探索技术公司、人工智能公司xAI和电动汽车制造商特斯拉生产芯片，并将由上述3家公司联合建设。马斯克在社交媒体X平台上的一篇帖子中透露，xAI公司“将不再作为一家独立实体存在”，而是会被更名为“SpaceXAI”。 今年4月，美国科技巨头英特尔（Intel）公司宣布将加入“特拉法布”项目，协助“大规模设计、制造及封装超高性能芯片”。对于英特尔旗下资本密集型的代工制造业务而言，这是其迄今为止获得的首笔来自外部的重大业务承诺；在此之前，英特尔的代工部门仅负责为其自身产品制造芯片。 在上个月举行的特斯拉第一季度财报电话会议上，马斯克表示，特斯拉计划利用英特尔即将推出的“14A”制程工艺，在该工厂内进行芯片生产。受此消息提振，英特尔股价应声大涨，并在4月份创下了公司历史上表现最佳的单月纪录，股价涨幅超过一倍。 随着台湾芯片制造商台积电（TSMC）的制造产能日益紧俏，美国芯片巨头英伟达（Nvidia）和苹果（Apple）等科技巨头已在此预订了未来数年的芯片制造资源，英特尔（Intel）正处于有利地位，有望从当前持续火热的人工智能浪潮中获益。 马斯克曾在今年1月举行的特斯拉财报电话会议上表示，现有的关键芯片供应商根本无法生产出足以满足该汽车制造商需求的硬件；他还指出，建设一座超级晶圆厂“特拉法布”“实际上对于确保我们能够抵御任何地缘政治风险也至关重要”。 马斯克在近期举行的另一次财报电话会议上还透露，特斯拉目前“仍在敲定’特拉法布’部署方案的细节”；该公司计划在其位于德克萨斯州奥斯汀的工厂内建设的另一座用于研发的晶圆厂项目预计耗资约30亿美元，且“月产能有望达到数千片晶圆”。 马斯克在电话会议中还表示：“太空探索技术公司将负责推进 ‘特拉法布’扩建计划的初期阶段工作。” 随着太空探索技术公司计划在未来数月内启动公开募股（IPO），该公司的财务状况正逐步公之于众。今年4月，即该公司与人工智能企业xAI 完成合并（合并后实体估值高达1.75万亿美元）的数周之后，太空探索技术公司便以保密方式提交了首次公开募股的申请文件。
LOS ANGELES, May 6 – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has directed the…
5月6日华盛顿报道，美国劳工统计局（BLS）今天发布的一份统计数据显示，全美50个州及哥伦比亚特区今年3月份的失业率均未发生显著变化。其中，有3个州的非农就业人数有所增加，而其余47个州及特区的非农就业人数则基本保持不变。 数据显示，3月份全美50个州及哥伦比亚特区的失业率均未发生显著变化。其中，14个州的失业率较上年同期有所上升，2个州有所下降，而34个州及特区的失业率则基本持平。全国失业率为4.3%，较上月及2025年3月均无明显变动。 3月份美国3个州的非农就业人数有所增加，而47个州及哥伦比亚特区的非农就业人数则基本保持不变。从同比来看，3个州及特区的非农就业人数有所减少，3个州有所增加，而44个州的非农就业人数则基本持平。 美国劳工统计局表示，该报告的统计数据源自两项按月开展的统计调查项目。其中，有关民用劳动力及失业状况的数据主要依据“住户调查”模型进行估算；此类数据是基于受访者的居住地进行归类统计的。而就业数据则源自“机构调查”，该调查按行业类别统计非农就业人数、工时及薪资收入；此类数据是基于用人机构（单位）的所在地对在册职位进行归类统计的。 失业状况的数据显示，今年3月份，美国南达科他州的失业率最低，仅为2.3%；紧随其后的是夏威夷州（2.4%）和北达科他州（2.5%)。哥伦比亚特区的失业率最高，达6.3%。失业率位居第二高的是特拉华州（5.4%)，随后是加利福尼亚州和内华达州，两州失业率均为5.3%。总体而言，共有17个州的失业率低于全美平均水平（4.3%)；8个州及特区的失业率高于全美平均水平；另有25个州的失业率与全美平均水平无显著差异。 3月份，全美50个州及哥伦比亚特区的失业率较上月均未发生显著变化。自2025年3月以来，共有14个州的失业率有所上升，其中增幅最大的是康涅狄格州和佛罗里达州（各增加1.1个百分点)。仅有两个州的失业率实现了同比下降，分别是俄亥俄州（下降0.7个百分点）和印第安纳州（下降0.4个百分点)。包括哥伦比亚特区在内的34个州，其失业率与一年前相比没有显著差异；尽管其中部分州的变动幅度在数值上至少与那些被认定为“显著变化”的幅度相当。 非农就业数据显示，3月份美国3个州的非农就业人数有所增加，而包括哥伦比亚特区在内的47个州的非农就业人数则基本保持不变。就业人数增加的州包括：得克萨斯州（增加46,800人，增幅0.3%)、佛罗里达州（增加28,100人，增幅0.3%）和田纳西州（增加12,100人，增幅0.4%)。 美国劳工统计局表示，在过去的一年中，美国非农就业人数在3个州及哥伦比亚特区有所减少，在3个州有所增加，而在44个州则基本保持不变。就业人数减少的地区包括马里兰州（-49,900人，即-1.8%)、哥伦比亚特区（-40,300人，即-5.3%)、俄勒冈州（-21,900人，即-1.1%）以及爱荷华州（-20,700人，即-1.3%)。就业增长主要出现在加利福尼亚州（+144,700人，即+0.8%)、德克萨斯州（+117,200人，即+0.8%）和内华达州（+28,700人，即+1.8%)。 美国劳工统计局今天还表示，3月份的大都会区就业与失业数据定于2026年5月19日发布。4月份的各州就业与失业数据定于2026年5月22日 发布。