Pasadena’s COVID-19 Comeback Likely Fueled By Increase in Holiday Gatherings, Social Events

Last weekend’s count of 104 new COVID cases was the first time in 11 months that Pasadena saw so many new infections in two days. A Pasadena Public Health Dept. doctor says the public should be prepared to see many more infections as COVID makes a comeback.

The increasing case count is likely a combination of the introduction of the highly-contagious Omicron variant locally at the same as an increase in gatherings and social events that are characteristic of the holiday season, Pasadena Public Health Department Epidemiologist Dr. Mark Feaster said Monday.

“It is still early to tell but if previous holidays are an indication, and if Omicron acts similarly to Delta, we should expect a significant increase in cases, particularly in our remaining unvaccinated population,” Feaster said.

Earlier a Pasadena City official reported that last week Pasadena’s “7-day average is up over 20 cases/day, which we have not seen since we left the tail end of the Delta surge in late August. We have not seen a single-day case count this high since late July, early August.”

Huntington Hospital on Monday reported its doctors and nurses are treating 31 COVID-positive patients, of whom 14 are in an ICU. The hospital said 87% of those patients are unvaccinated.

Feaster said it is not yet known how pervasively the Omicron variant is spreading in Pasadena.

“We know our first documented case of Omicron had a symptom onset in the first week of December, which means Omicron has likely been circulating for at least two weeks now,” he said.

“As we continue to collect information on these variants, we will know better what percentage of the current cases are Omicron or Delta but that will take time.”

Fester said the PPHD is still learning about whether Omicron causes illness that is more mild or severe than Delta, specifically in the city’s population.

In Los Angeles County Monday, public health officials identified 60 new Omicron cases.

The County’s sharp rise in COVID-19 infections continued. 3,258 new COVID infections were reported on Monday, the fourth day in a row the number has topped 3,000. Since the pandemic began, a total of 1,567,133 cases have been confirmed in the county.

The seven new deaths reported Monday lifted the county’s cumulative death toll to 27,448.

According to state figures, there were 741 COVID-positive patients in Los Angeles County hospitals as of Monday, down from 743 on Sunday. There were 172 of those patients being treated in intensive care, down from 180 a day earlier.

The 60 newly confirmed Omicron cases marked a major jump in the county’s total, reflecting a trend being seen across the country. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday that Omicron — which was first detected in South Africa and has rapidly spread globally — is now estimated to be responsible for 73% of COVID infections nationwide.

The county Department of Public Health reported Monday that COVID outbreaks increased dramatically in almost all sectors during the week that ended Friday — including a 118% jump in the education sector, 83% in congregate housing facilities and 24% at worksites and churches.

However, outbreaks actually dropped by 11% at skilled nursing facilities, a statistic the county attributed to the high rate of booster shots among staff and residents. According to the county, 84% of eligible nursing facility residents in the county have received booster shots, and 50% of eligible staff.

“Evidence is mounting that for those vaccinated months ago, boosters are necessary to provide the best defense from infection with and transmission of the Omicron variant,” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. “Vaccinations also continue to provide excellent protection from the Delta variant. The widespread uptake of booster shots at skilled nursing facilities — a result of early efforts to get booster doses to these highly vulnerable individuals as soon as they became available — have helped keep outbreaks at lower numbers in these settings.

“This aligns with other information gathered from around the country demonstrating the power of boosters, and the importance of getting boosted as soon as possible once eligible,” she said. “Given the rising case numbers, the high rate of community transmission and all the evidence that, over time, our immune systems need a boost to be able to attack the COVID virus, no one eligible should delay getting their booster dose.”

According to county figures, as of Dec. 12, 77.6% of eligible county residents aged 5 and older had received at least one dose of vaccine and 69% were fully vaccinated.

More than 1.8 million booster doses have been administered in the county.

Ferrer said last week there is no evidence to suggest the Omicron variant causes more severe symptoms than previous versions, but it is more transmissible than other variants and will circulate more widely in the county — particularly with upcoming holiday travel.