Health Officials Urge Socially Distanced Halloween as COVID-19 Infections Increase in Pasadena, L.A. County

On the eve of Halloween, in the middle of an uptick in COVID-19 infections in both Pasadena and countywide, public health officials reminded residents Friday that their actions over this weekend could have serious and lasting consequences with respect to the course of the pandemic in the weeks to come.

Eleven new infections were detected in Pasadena, but no new fatalities were reported, city spokesman Lisa Derderian said.

The number of average new infections reported daily in the city had declined to 3.4 as of Oct. 15, according to city data. As of Friday, it had climbed past 14.

Pasadena had recorded a total of 2,830 cases of COVID-19 and 129 deaths since the onset of the pandemic.

Huntington Hospital reported treating 24 COVID-19 patients on Friday.

Pasadena Public Health Director Dr. Ying-Ying Goh addressed residents in a video message.

“COVID-19 has dramatically changed the way we live. And it’s been hard,” she said. “We recognize and share feelings of pandemic fatigue, but now is the time to renew our commitment to keeping ourselves and our community safe with COVID-19 case rates rising all across the country, and in the past week, rising here as well.”

Large gatherings are not permitted by the city’s health order, and trick-or-treating is not recommended, she said.

“We are encouraging everyone to celebrate in ways that don’t put you, your family and friends at risk of getting sick,” according to Goh.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has also reported a increase in the infection rate in recent days, announcing 1,296 new infections and 26 additional fatalities on Friday. On Thursday, the county saw the largest number of cases detected in a single day since August at 1,745.

Friday’s figures raised the county-wide totals to 306,327 cases of novel coronavirus and 7,056 deaths, the L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a written statement.

Officials reported 743 patients hospitalized with the virus on Friday, with 30% of them being treated in intensive care units.

“As we head into the holiday weekend, please remember there is simply too much COVID-19 going around for us to let our guard down,” L.A. County Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said. “ The fewer people you and your household have in-person contact with, the lower your risk of getting and spreading COVID-19.”

“For the County to continue on our recovery journey, many more of us need to get back to doing what we know works — and we need to stop engaging in activities that makes it easy for transmission of the virus.”

State public health officials reported 4,014 new infections and 30 additional deaths on Friday, raising the statewide totals to 916,918 documented COVID-19 cases and 17,571 deaths.

The average positivity rate over the prior seven days was 3.1%, the California Department of Public Health said in a written statement. The 14-day average was 3%.

As of Friday, Los Angeles County accounted for 33% of California’s COVID-19 cases and 40% of the state’s fatalities.