COVID-19 Infections in Pasadena, L.A. County Reach Highest Levels Since February

COVID-19 continued gaining ground in Pasadena and throughout Los Angeles County on Thursday, as both jurisdictions reported the highest numbers of infections detected since February.

Thirty-four new infections in Pasadena raised the city’s total to 11,627 cases of the virus, according to Pasadena Public Health Department data. It was the highest number of cases recorded in a single day since Feb. 8.

No new deaths were reported, and the number of fatalities stood at 351.

Over the prior week, Pasadena saw an average of 18.1 new COVID-19 infections each day, records show.

The county reported 2,767 new COVID infections on Thursday, the highest daily number since February. The new cases lifted the county’s cumulative total since the pandemic began to 1,276,137. It was the 14th straight day of daily case numbers that topped 1,000.

Another 13 deaths were reported, raising the overall death toll to 24,607.

According to state figures, there were 655 people hospitalized in the county due to COVID, up from 645 on Wednesday. There were 148 people in intensive care, up from 140 a day earlier.

The average daily rate of people testing positive for the virus rose slightly to 5.26% on Thursday, compared to 5.2% a day earlier. The rate one month ago was 0.7%.

Health officials have pointed squarely at the highly infectious Delta strain of COVID-19 for the recent surge in cases locally and across the country. The variant, first detected in India, has increased in prevalence statewide, and it now represents the vast majority of confirmed variants in the county.

Ferrer again insisted that the current vaccines offer strong protection against the Delta variant, and she continued to urge residents to get vaccinated. Young Black and Latino residents continue to have the lowest rates of vaccination in the county.

Black residents also had the highest rate of new infections over the last month, at 181 per 100,000 residents. Latino residents have traditionally had one of the highest infection rates throughout the pandemic, but over the past months, white residents accrued a higher rate, at 83 per 100,000 residents. Latinos had an infection rate of 62 per 100,000 residents.

Black residents also had the highest rate of hospitalizations over the month, followed by Latinos and whites.

The California Department of Public Health reported 5,577 new infections and 31 deaths across the state on Thursday, raising the totals to 3,778,047 COVID-19 cases and 64,695 deaths.

The state’s average positivity rate over the prior week continued its steady climb to 4.9%, according to CDPH data.

As of Thursday, L.A. County accounted for 34% of California’s COVID-19 infections and 39% of the state’s fatalities.