COVID-19 Hospitalizations Continue to Rise in Pasadena, Countywide

Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 have increased significantly in Pasadena and throughout Los Angeles County over the weekend, with the patients overwhelmingly composed of unvaccinated individuals, public health officials said.

Huntington Hospital in Pasadena reported treating 26 COVID-19 patients as of Monday, with two of them being housed in an intensive care unit. The figure represents a 63% increase over Friday, when 16 COVID-19 patients were being treated at the facility.

Forty-three newly detected infections raised Pasadena’s pandemic total to 12,157, according to Pasadena Public Health Department data.

Officials documented 13 infections on Sunday and 24 on Saturday.

No new fatalities were added to the city’s death toll,which stood at 353.

At the county level, officials warned that hospitalization had nearly doubled over the prior two weeks, reaching 1,437 as of Monday.

The majority of the increase has been among unvaccinated people, while hospitalizations remain very low among vaccinated people,” according to an L.A. County Department of Public Health statement. “Between May 1 and July 17, 3,158 people were hospitalized in Los Angeles County; 92% of those hospitalized were not fully vaccinated.”

County officials announced 2,929 new COVID-19 infections and six fatalities on Monday, noting that figures often lag behind on Mondays due to the weekend. In total, L.A. County had documented 1,329,262 cases of the virus and 24,783 deaths.

The county-wide test positivity rate for Monday was recorded at 4.4%, down from 6% last week.

L.A. County Director of Public Health renewed her call for vaccination, with special emphasis on those with already compromised health.

“The significant increase in hospitalizations is of great concern. With the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines, we are hopeful that more people will get vaccinated during this time of very high transmission,” she said.

“Throughout this pandemic, people who live with chronic illnesses have suffered serious outcomes of COVID-19 infection. Because chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity dramatically increase the risk of getting severely ill or dying with COVID-19 infection, vaccination is particularly important for people living with these conditions,” Ferrer said. “Everyone eligible for vaccination is urged to get vaccinated, especially if you have any chronic health conditions. Please talk with your healthcare provider if you have concerns about getting vaccinated.”

The California Department of Public Health reported 10,425 infections and six fatalities on Monday, bringing the statewide totals to 3,950,172 COVID-19 cases and 64,318 fatalities.

The state’s average weekly positivity rate was recorded at 6.3%, according to CDPH data.

As of Monday, L.A. County represented 34% of California’s COVID-19 infections and 39% of the state’s deaths.