news release DPH

For Immediate Release:

June 22, 2023

Get Ready for Summer Fun: These Safety Tips Will Help Reduce Disruptions to July 4th Celebrations, Other Activities

?

As this week marks the official start of summer, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) wants to remind residents of several straightforward measures they can take to help prevent illness or injury from interrupting their July 4th celebrations and other activities.

Summertime offers opportunities to attend outdoor events and get-togethers with family and friends, that unfortunately can also result in sunburn, dehydration, food and mosquito-borne illness, firework injuries and increased COVID-19 transmission if precautions are not taken. To help safeguard this summer?s fun in the sun, Public Health is offering safety tips to Los Angeles County residents.

While COVID-19 indicators remain low in Los Angeles County, risk remains, especially for people who are older or immunocompromised. To avoid inadvertently spreading COVID-19 to others, anyone with possible symptoms, such as a cough, runny nose, fever or headache, should stay home. For extra assurance, Public Health recommends testing for anyone who has symptoms, has been exposed to COVID-19 or if they are attending a gathering with someone at higher risk for severe illness from COVID. Free tests continue to be available across Los Angeles County. More information and site locations are available at ph.lacounty.gov/COVIDtests.

To reduce the risk of heat-related illness, consider seeking shade or going indoors when the sun is warmest between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., using a broad spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher, and wearing protective clothing, including hats and long sleeves. Call 911 if someone is experiencing possible sun poisoning symptoms, such as high body temperature, nausea or vomiting, dizziness or pale and clammy skin.

When spending time outdoors in the sun, be sure to stay hydrated. Consider carrying a reusable bottle and sipping throughout the day, especially during physical activities or when consuming caffeine or alcohol, which can be dehydrating. Symptoms of dehydration, indicating that a person may need to drink more liquids, include dry mouth or lips, headaches or light headedness. Hydrating foods, such as melon, berries, or cucumbers, also can be added to menus.

Think about food safety when planning celebrations, whether hosting a party or going on an outing. Make sure that meats are cooked to the proper temperatures: 160-degrees Fahrenheit for ground meats, poultry and eggs and 145-degrees Fahrenheit for steaks, roasts and fish. Cold foods should be stored at 40-degrees Fahrenheit or lower and leftovers need to be refrigerated or thrown away after two hours.

Foodborne illness can appear as stomach pain, vomiting or diarrhea in the hours or days after eating contaminated food and can be severe, and in some cases, life-threatening for older adults, young children, pregnant people and those who are immunocompromised. A simple food thermometer can help make sure food is being stored at safe temperatures and ice and coolers should be available to store food at outdoor events.

Mosquitos are abundant in many parts of the county. Using effective insect repellent when outdoors and wearing protective clothing covering arms and legs can help prevent annoying bites and potential exposure to mosquito-borne illnesses including West Nile virus.

Many Fourth of July celebrations feature fireworks. Personal use of fireworks is illegal in Los Angeles County and children should not be allowed to handle or ignite fireworks. Never hold a lit firework and do not try to reignite a firework that does not go off or malfunctions. To safely enjoy a firework show, grab a blanket or chairs and enjoy one of the many public displays being held throughout Los Angeles County.

At any event or gathering, there is always the possibility of contracting COVID-19. If a person tests positive, it is important they inform others who have been exposed. Many people who test positive are eligible for COVID-19 treatment, which is widely available and must be started within five days of symptom onset. Health care providers can prescribe an oral therapeutic for COVID-19, which is shown to reduce the chance for severe illness and hospitalization, or free telehealth services are available through the Public Health Call Center, open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., by phoning 1-833-540-0473.

Residents looking for more information or additional tips about staying safe this summer can visit ph.lacounty.gov/media/summer.

COVID-19 strains currently circulating in Los Angeles County are all descendants of the Omicron variant. For the most recent two-week period ending May 27, 2023, XBB.1.5 was the dominant strain, accounting for 50 percent of sequenced specimens, a decrease from 63 percent during the two-week period prior. The second most dominant strain is XBB.1.9.1, accounting for 13 percent of sequenced specimens, followed by XBB.1.16, accounting for 9 percent of sequenced specimens. Based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) modeling for California and surrounding states, it is predicted that as of June 10, XBB.1.5 remains dominant, accounting for nearly 40 percent of COVID-19 cases with XBB.1.16 being the second most dominant, accounting for over 17 percent of cases.

?I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to people in LA County who have lost a loved one to COVID-19. I hope you are surrounded by strength, support and love during this challenging time,? said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.Ed., Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. ?I wish everyone a happy Fourth of July and may you find many reasons to celebrate and gather with friends and family. Over the past three years, people have faced some extraordinarily taxing times and I, like so many others, am welcoming the opportunity to enjoy a fun-filled summer. Some simple safety measures can prevent injury and illness for ourselves and those we love. ?Please keep hydrated, stay home if you are sick, be safe in the sun, and leave the lighting of fireworks to professionals at public firework displays. Err on the side of caution, especially with those who are more vulnerable, and take an opportunity to enjoy the many activities offered throughout the county during the summer months.?

The CDC has replaced COVID-19 Community Levels with Hospital Admission Levels, which can help individuals and communities decide which prevention actions they can take based on the most recent information. Los Angeles County is in the Low Hospital Admission Level with 2.7 weekly COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people, reported as of June 15, 2023.

Public Health reports COVID-19 data weekly. The following table shows case, wastewater, emergency department, hospitalization and death data in Los Angeles County over the past four weeks. ?

?

Metric

Date of Weekly Report

6/21/2023

6/14/2023

6/7/2023

5/31/2023

Weekly cases reported1,2

1,817

1,716

1,902

1,801

SARS-CoV-2 wastewater concentration as a percentage of the Winter 2022-2023 peak concentration value3

10%

17%

10%

11%

7-day average of the percent of Emergency Department (ED) encounters classified as coronavirus-related3,4

2.6%

2.7%

2.5%

2.3%

7-day average number of COVID-positive hospitalizations3,4

228

212

228

254

Weekly deaths reported2

25

36

46

40

1) Case counts are an underrepresentation of the true number of infections, largely due to home tests which are not reported to DPH. Despite this, the trend in reported case counts from week to week is still an indicator of overall trends in transmission.?

2) Weekly case and death counts represent the number of cases and deaths reported for the week ending each Tuesday. The date a case/death is reported by DPH is not the same as the date of testing or death.?

3) Time periods covered by each metric: wastewater = week ending each Saturday, with a one-week lag; ED data = week ending each Sunday; hospitalizations = week ending each Saturday. ??

4) Data for past weeks is subject to change in future reports.

A wide range of data and dashboards on COVID-19 from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health are available on the Public Health website at http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/COVIDdata including:

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus:

?

Cases through 12:00pm 6/19/2023

? ?

?

Total Cases

NEW

Laboratory Confirmed Cases

3,753,381

1817

-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)

3,548,518

1743

-- Long Beach

164,499

56

-- Pasadena

40,364

18

Deaths

36,482

25

-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)

34,611

19

-- Long Beach

1,420

2

-- Pasadena

451

4

Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

?

?

- 0 to 4

112,224

?

- 5 to 11

283,278

?

- 12 to 17

277,985

?

- 18 to 29

759,885

?

- 30 to 49

1,136,935

?

- 50 to 64

616,349

?

- 65 to 79

265,676

?

-? over 80

93,628

?

-? Under Investigation

2,558

?

Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

?

?

-? Female

1,831,596

?

-? Male

1,625,988

?

-? Other

1,848

?

-? Under Investigation

89,086

?

Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

?

?

-? American Indian/Alaska Native

6,724

?

-? Asian

264,541

?

-? Black

186,571

?

-? Hispanic/Latino

1,515,824

?

-? Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

17,762

?

-? White

493,035

?

-? Other

407,800

?

-? Under Investigation

656,261

?

Hospitalization (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

?

?

-? Hospitalized (Ever)

178,703

?

Deaths Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

?

?

-? American Indian/Alaska Native

80

?

-? Asian

4,510

?

-? Black

3,251

?

-? Hispanic/Latino

16,903

?

-? Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

120

?

-? White

9,238

?

-? Other

419

?

-? Under Investigation

90

?

CITY / COMMUNITY**

Cases

Case Rate

City of Agoura Hills

6356

30436

City of Alhambra

25549

29460

City of Arcadia

13737

23785

City of Artesia

6013

35802

City of Avalon

288

7444

City of Azusa

17540

35052

City of Baldwin Park

29744

38745

City of Bell

17050

46928

City of Bell Gardens

17160

39841

City of Bellflower

30867

39708

City of Beverly Hills

11617

33653

City of Bradbury

71

6642

City of Burbank

32925

30719

City of Calabasas

5858

24084

City of Carson

35034

37331

City of Cerritos

13406

26776

City of Claremont

10443

28624

City of Commerce*

5882

45007

City of Compton

40353

40392

City of Covina

20325

41453

City of Cudahy

12235

50253

City of Culver City

11995

30089

City of Diamond Bar

13735

23881

City of Downey

46915

41059

City of Duarte

7524

34175

City of El Monte

42831

36524

City of El Segundo

4098

24413

City of Gardena

21931

35771

City of Glendale

60472

29285

City of Glendora

15063

28548

City of Hawaiian Gardens

5013

34158

City of Hawthorne

29704

33455

City of Hermosa Beach

4743

24113

City of Hidden Hills

384

20317

City of Huntington Park

26388

44362

City of Industry

1018

232952

City of Inglewood

38823

34181

City of Irwindale

887

60795

City of La Canada Flintridge

4561

22041

City of La Habra Heights

215

3941

City of La Mirada

14272

28775

City of La Puente

16016

39354

City of La Verne

9270

27853

City of Lakewood

27143

33776

City of Lancaster*

64322

39811

City of Lawndale

10620

31594

City of Lomita

6131

29577

City of Lynwood*

31355

43520

City of Malibu

2897

22352

City of Manhattan Beach

7465

20737

City of Maywood

12859

45845

City of Monrovia

11890

30644

City of Montebello

25560

39705

City of Monterey Park

17560

28203

City of Norwalk

43179

40121

City of Palmdale

66989

42140

City of Palos Verdes Estates

2283

16884

City of Paramount

22792

40683

City of Pico Rivera

28220

43899

City of Pomona

65794

42194

City of Rancho Palos Verdes

7807

18263

City of Redondo Beach

15660

22796

City of Rolling Hills

300

15464

City of Rolling Hills Estates

1542

19007

City of Rosemead

15271

27590

City of San Dimas*

11141

32278

City of San Fernando

12806

52032

City of San Gabriel

11496

28071

City of San Marino

2418

18212

City of Santa Clarita

73712

33441

City of Santa Fe Springs

7919

43122

City of Santa Monica

26590

28763

City of Sierra Madre

2433

22140

City of Signal Hill

4115

34882

City of South El Monte

8455

40484

City of South Gate

47256

48144

City of South Pasadena

6354

24389

City of Temple City

10782

29576

City of Torrance

34493

23108

City of Vernon

358

171292

City of Walnut

7602

24898

City of West Covina

39680

36661

City of West Hollywood

11339

30687

City of Westlake Village

453

5419

City of Whittier

31461

35983

Los Angeles

1532357

37886

Los Angeles - Adams-Normandie

3218

39234

Los Angeles - Alsace

4533

36424

Los Angeles - Angeles National Forest

0

0

Los Angeles - Angelino Heights

850

33973

Los Angeles - Arleta

16953

49325

Los Angeles - Atwater Village

5098

34761

Los Angeles - Baldwin Hills

10278

33022

Los Angeles - Bel Air

2464

29232

Los Angeles - Beverly Crest

3354

26778

Los Angeles - Beverlywood

4231

32119

Los Angeles - Boyle Heights*

40571

46696

Los Angeles - Brentwood

8450

27298

Los Angeles - Brookside

157

27022

Los Angeles - Cadillac-Corning

2307

32397

Los Angeles - Canoga Park

25405

38912

Los Angeles - Carthay

4441

30920

Los Angeles - Central

17072

43783

Los Angeles - Century City

3776

29518

Los Angeles - Century Palms/Cove

16336

48380

Los Angeles - Chatsworth

13015

35118

Los Angeles - Cheviot Hills

2572

28045

Los Angeles - Chinatown

2954

36828

Los Angeles - Cloverdale/Cochran

5344

36721

Los Angeles - Country Club Park

4928

32522

Los Angeles - Crenshaw District

5352

38701

Los Angeles - Crestview

3979

35002

Los Angeles - Del Rey

8468

28287

Los Angeles - Downtown*

16259

59109

Los Angeles - Eagle Rock

13872

35040

Los Angeles - East Hollywood

9578

32704

Los Angeles - Echo Park

4518

31692

Los Angeles - El Sereno

16973

40597

Los Angeles - Elysian Park

1848

32353

Los Angeles - Elysian Valley

3581

35208

Los Angeles - Encino

15322

33919

Los Angeles - Exposition

1285

38635

Los Angeles - Exposition Park

18317

40780

Los Angeles - Faircrest Heights

1273

35361

Los Angeles - Figueroa Park Square

3807

43653

Los Angeles - Florence-Firestone

22918

48304

Los Angeles - Glassell Park

11047

34954

Los Angeles - Gramercy Place

4186

38889

Los Angeles - Granada Hills

21638

37184

Los Angeles - Green Meadows

10106

46994

Los Angeles - Hancock Park

4769

27989

Los Angeles - Harbor City

9454

32521

Los Angeles - Harbor Gateway

15759

36144

Los Angeles - Harbor Pines

650

26982

Los Angeles - Harvard Heights

6171

34217

Los Angeles - Harvard Park

18085

47674

Los Angeles - Highland Park

17300

35750

Los Angeles - Historic Filipinotown

5525

39834

Los Angeles - Hollywood

21778

31907

Los Angeles - Hollywood Hills

7716

26215

Los Angeles - Hyde Park

12003

42055

Los Angeles - Jefferson Park

3156

39093

Los Angeles - Koreatown

16269

31472

Los Angeles - Lafayette Square

1600

35095

Los Angeles - Lake Balboa

16368

38781

Los Angeles - Lakeview Terrace

6161

46912

Los Angeles - Leimert Park

5822

38215

Los Angeles - Lincoln Heights

12867

39473

Los Angeles - Little Armenia

3064

38181

Los Angeles - Little Bangladesh

8695

30678

Los Angeles - Little Tokyo

1488

47494

Los Angeles - Longwood

1797

41752

Los Angeles - Los Feliz

6445

29827

Los Angeles - Manchester Square

3270

38308

Los Angeles - Mandeville Canyon

906

29001

Los Angeles - Mar Vista

11025

25959

Los Angeles - Marina Peninsula

966

22156

Los Angeles - Melrose

26383

33957

Los Angeles - Mid-city

4512

30020

Los Angeles - Miracle Mile

4961

27584

Los Angeles - Mission Hills

11967

49606

Los Angeles - Mt. Washington

8272

34260

Los Angeles - North Hills

25408

41263

Los Angeles - North Hollywood

59346

39193

Los Angeles - Northridge

25769

36920

Los Angeles - Pacific Palisades

5069

23808

Los Angeles - Pacoima

38977

50633

Los Angeles - Palisades Highlands

927

24103

Los Angeles - Palms

12144

27677

Los Angeles - Panorama City

33659

44730

Los Angeles - Park La Brea

3273

24102

Los Angeles - Pico-Union

16433

39274

Los Angeles - Playa Del Rey

608

19024

Los Angeles - Playa Vista

3459

31598

Los Angeles - Porter Ranch

10605

29799

Los Angeles - Rancho Park

2264

34512

Los Angeles - Regent Square

877

31547

Los Angeles - Reseda

32303

42162

Los Angeles - Reseda Ranch

1811

39064

Los Angeles - Reynier Village

1186

28051

Los Angeles - San Pedro*

26347

33762

Los Angeles - Shadow Hills

1328

29896

Los Angeles - Sherman Oaks

27870

31941

Los Angeles - Silverlake

13350

30284

Los Angeles - South Carthay

3288

31034

Los Angeles - South Park

16937

44617

Los Angeles - St Elmo Village

1879

40990

Los Angeles - Studio City

7102

31649

Los Angeles - Sun Valley

23277

44352

Los Angeles - Sunland

6959

34099

Los Angeles - Sycamore Square

211

32612

Los Angeles - Sylmar*

42364

51414

Los Angeles - Tarzana

10617

34386

Los Angeles - Temple-Beaudry

13572

34375

Los Angeles - Thai Town

2819

28739

Los Angeles - Toluca Lake

2577

29607

Los Angeles - Toluca Terrace

530

40582

Los Angeles - Toluca Woods

477

25673

Los Angeles - Tujunga

9030

32470

Los Angeles - University Hills

935

27267

Los Angeles - University Park

11668

42497

Los Angeles - Valley Glen

11275

37563

Los Angeles - Valley Village

8603

34802

Los Angeles - Van Nuys*

37813

40575

Los Angeles - Venice

9207

27171

Los Angeles - Vermont Knolls

7537

43820

Los Angeles - Vermont Square

3773

49275

Los Angeles - Vermont Vista

18784

45608

Los Angeles - Vernon Central

24791

47677

Los Angeles - Victoria Park

2831

33706

Los Angeles - View Heights

1120

30319

Los Angeles - Watts

19705

46176

Los Angeles - Wellington Square

1854

37721

Los Angeles - West Adams

11001

39815

Los Angeles - West Hills

13023

32120

Los Angeles - West Los Angeles

11700

31087

Los Angeles - West Vernon

24859

46341

Los Angeles - Westchester

13995

27121

Los Angeles - Westlake

20973

35335

Los Angeles - Westwood

16814

31074

Los Angeles - Wholesale District*

22369

61914

Los Angeles - Wilmington

23748

42042

Los Angeles - Wilshire Center

17213

34309

Los Angeles - Winnetka

20067

38750

Los Angeles - Woodland Hills

20745

30483

Unincorporated - Acton

2021

25354

Unincorporated - Agua Dulce

997

23978

Unincorporated - Altadena

11783

27013

Unincorporated - Anaverde

422

27984

Unincorporated - Angeles National Forest

92

7390

Unincorporated - Arcadia

2264

28367

Unincorporated - Athens-Westmont

17638

41558

Unincorporated - Athens Village

2832

57831

Unincorporated - Avocado Heights

2745

40517

Unincorporated - Azusa

6382

40080

Unincorporated - Bassett

6248

42168

Unincorporated - Bouquet Canyon

207

19292

Unincorporated - Bradbury

136

125926

Unincorporated - Canyon Country

3786

48991

Unincorporated - Castaic*

9674

35578

Unincorporated - Cerritos

192

32709

Unincorporated - Charter Oak

10

50000

Unincorporated - Claremont

160

22792

Unincorporated - Covina

6302

37470

Unincorporated - Covina (Charter Oak)

5085

38687

Unincorporated - Del Aire

1229

27976

Unincorporated - Del Rey

148

46541

Unincorporated - Del Sur

705

29193

Unincorporated - Desert View Highlands

959

38468

Unincorporated - Duarte

2010

45393

Unincorporated - East Covina

91

27660

Unincorporated - East La Mirada

1654

31255

Unincorporated - East Lancaster

43

37719

Unincorporated - East Los Angeles

58848

46977

Unincorporated - East Pasadena

433

6762

Unincorporated - East Rancho Dominguez

6382

41691

Unincorporated - East Whittier

1443

27196

Unincorporated - El Camino Village

2775

31566

Unincorporated - El Monte

0

0

Unincorporated - Elizabeth Lake

288

17339

Unincorporated - Florence-Firestone

30509

47151

Unincorporated - Franklin Canyon

2

16667

Unincorporated - Glendora

199

30152

Unincorporated - Hacienda Heights

16660

29789

Unincorporated - Harbor Gateway

4

400000

Unincorporated - Hawthorne

762

30310

Unincorporated - Hi Vista

173

15756

Unincorporated - Kagel/Lopez Canyons

323

22875

Unincorporated - La Crescenta-Montrose

4502

22736

Unincorporated - La Habra Heights

21

3107

Unincorporated - La Rambla

916

44145

Unincorporated - La Verne*

667

32696

Unincorporated - Ladera Heights

2098

29670

Unincorporated - Lake Hughes

204

30539

Unincorporated - Lake Los Angeles

4088

31461

Unincorporated - Lake Manor

465

28302

Unincorporated - Lakewood

28

24561

Unincorporated - Lennox

7691

34119

Unincorporated - Leona Valley

315

17990

Unincorporated - Littlerock

1419

35290

Unincorporated - Littlerock/Juniper Hills

363

27988

Unincorporated - Littlerock/Pearblossom

1327

37181

Unincorporated - Llano

108

12315

Unincorporated - Marina del Rey

2742

29136

Unincorporated - Miracle Mile

0

0

Unincorporated - Monrovia

1134

29219

Unincorporated - Newhall

105

47727

Unincorporated - North Lancaster

514

42905

Unincorporated - North Whittier

3169

37907

Unincorporated - Northeast San Gabriel

5348

22250

Unincorporated - Padua Hills

38

17674

Unincorporated - Palmdale

268

31829

Unincorporated - Palos Verdes Peninsula

127

20451

Unincorporated - Pearblossom/Llano

435

22239

Unincorporated - Pellissier Village

377

60905

Unincorporated - Placerita Canyon

24

5217

Unincorporated - Pomona

126

6502

Unincorporated - Quartz Hill

3928

30435

Unincorporated - Rancho Dominguez

1218

45772

Unincorporated - Roosevelt

281

30183

Unincorporated - Rosewood

517

40202

Unincorporated - Rosewood/East Gardena

550

46102

Unincorporated - Rosewood/West Rancho Dominguez

1354

40286

Unincorporated - Rowland Heights

12541

24580

Unincorporated - San Clemente Island

0

0

Unincorporated - San Francisquito Canyon/Bouquet Canyon

44

5128

Unincorporated - San Jose Hills

7992

39523

Unincorporated - San Pasqual

90

4423

Unincorporated - Sand Canyon

63

20455

Unincorporated - Santa Catalina Island

597

223596

Unincorporated - Santa Monica Mountains*

3975

21347

Unincorporated - Saugus

346

223226

Unincorporated - Saugus/Canyon Country

135

37921

Unincorporated - South Antelope Valley

122

26813

Unincorporated - South El Monte

764

42563

Unincorporated - South San Gabriel

3239

36607

Unincorporated - South Whittier

21789

36792

Unincorporated - Southeast Antelope Valley

252

32266

Unincorporated - Stevenson Ranch

6007

28651

Unincorporated - Sun Village

2149

35603

Unincorporated - Sunrise Village

596

45988

Unincorporated - Twin Lakes/Oat Mountain

438

26417

Unincorporated - Val Verde

1225

37020

Unincorporated - Valencia

937

30501

Unincorporated - Valinda

9697

41492

Unincorporated - View Park/Windsor Hills

3655

31414

Unincorporated - Walnut Park

7481

46342

Unincorporated - West Antelope Valley

188

12442

Unincorporated - West Carson

8349

37802

Unincorporated - West Chatsworth

5

41667

Unincorporated - West LA

897

94223

Unincorporated - West Puente Valley

4270

43416

Unincorporated - West Rancho Dominguez

501

36865

Unincorporated - West Whittier/Los Nietos

10860

40334

Unincorporated - Westfield/Academy Hills

253

19462

Unincorporated - Westhills

200

23838

Unincorporated - White Fence Farms

935

25387

Unincorporated - Whittier

1008

26638

Unincorporated - Whittier Narrows

76

633333

Unincorporated - Willowbrook

16779

48059

Unincorporated - Wiseburn

1912

31724

?- Under Investigation

71362

?

*? --Case and death numbers include cases identified among persons detained at correctional facilities located in the city/community

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Data are subject to change based on further investigation

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