The postnatal increase in coronavirus cases is worsening considerably in Los Angeles County, a much-feared scenario that officials say will result in more crowding of patients in crowded hospitals and an increase in deaths.
The next few days are expected to be critical in determining the severity of this next wave and how much it will affect hospital conditions.
On Thursday and Friday, LA County reported 18,764 cases of coronavirus and 17,827 cases, respectively – significantly above the average of about 14,000 new cases per day in the past week.
“This is clearly the latest increase in winter and New Year holidays – without a doubt,” said Dr. Paul Simon, director of science for the LA County Department of Public Health. “It started gradually at the beginning of the week, but [definitely] here on the last day or two. “
About 1 in 5 coronavirus tests performed daily in Los Angeles County are positive, a big increase in November, when only about 1 in 25 tests confirmed an infection. And when community broadcasting is so prolific, officials warn that activities that seemed mundane months ago now carry an increased risk of infection than ever.
Simon said it is likely to continue in the next few weeks or two, which will translate into even worse hospitalizations and more deaths. The number of daily deaths from COVID-19 is already breaking records; in early December, about 30 people in LA County died every day from COVID-19, on average, over a seven-day period; now an average of 190 people die every day from COVID-19.
“I think it’s a public health crisis right now,” said Simon. Hospitals “are extremely tense, extremely overburdened”.
The number of people dying from COVID-19 daily is now exceeding the average number of deaths in LA County from all other causes, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, car accidents, suicides and homicides, which is about 170 deaths per day.
On Friday, there were 318 reported COVID-19 deaths in LA County – the highest single-day count ever recorded, breaking the previous single-day record of 291, recorded on New Year’s Eve.
Friday was the worst day for COVID-19 deaths in California, as well as in Los Angeles County.
There were 676 deaths reported in the state on Friday, including 318 in Los Angeles County, according to a Times poll with health agencies. The numbers easily surpass previous records for a single day: 575 deaths in California and 291 in LA County, both recorded on December 31.
“We anticipate that the number of hospitalizations and deaths will remain high throughout this month because of what happened during the holiday,” said Simon. “We will see high levels of hospitalization and, unfortunately, deaths for at least the next two to four weeks.”
What is particularly frightening about the coronavirus, said Simon, is how unpredictable it can be in those who hit hard. Although at the beginning of the pandemic, only 7% of COVID-19 deaths in LA County occurred among people without underlying medical conditions, now 14% of all deaths occurred among people without medical conditions.
“I personally know someone in their 30s who has become very ill,” said Simon. “Everyone needs to recognize that this virus has the potential to cause tremendous damage, tremendous damage within the body,” said Simon.
To prepare for more deaths, the Governor’s Emergency Services Office is preparing to Dispatch 88 refrigerated trailers across the state that can serve as temporary morgues. Ten have already been assigned to Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Imperial, Monterey and Sonoma counties.
With the hospital morgues overcrowded and crowded funeral homes forced to refuse families, the LA county coroner’s office is accelerating efforts to temporarily store bodies.
On Monday, six men and women from the California National Guard arrived to help county officials load bodies from hospital morgues into one of the 12 cold storage units at the LA County Medical Examiner’s Office, said Sarah Ardalani, spokesman for the coroner’s office. Additional National Guard members are expected next week.
The leader of a trade group representing California hospitals said on Friday that the peak of the current wave is expected to flood the state’s healthcare system in about a week.
Even though hospitals across the state are already struggling with record numbers of patients with COVID-19, “we anticipate that the worst of this is reaching another week or 10 days, and may continue into February,” said Carmela Coyle, president and chief executive of California Hospital Assn.
“This was unprecedented for our state, unprecedented for the nation, unprecedented for the world,” she said during a conference call. “But we find ourselves today, in terms of numbers, at a point where we are standing on a beach and watching a tsunami approaching.”
Authorities said the expected increase is one more reason why people now stay at home as long as possible, even though people may have been exhausted from constantly hearing calls to avoid going out and socializing with others, which can transmit the virus. highly contagious.
Simon said that any of these symptoms warrant emergency medical care, such as a 911 call or an early call to the hospital to inform the operator that you are seeking care for these conditions, or are seeking care for someone with these conditions.
• Breathing problems
• Blue lips or face
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New beginning of confusion
• Inability to wake up or stay awake
“It is also extremely important not to wait until you are sick to identify a regular source of health care. If you don’t have a regular healthcare professional, buy one today, ”said Simon.
“The chances are just great at this point that you will be exposed to COVID-19. And if it is, you will need a doctor, a nurse to alert and discuss your symptoms or care options and options, ”said Simon.
For those who do not have a health care provider, LA County residents can call 211 for more information.