Weekly COVID-19 Infection Rate in Pasadena Hits New Pandemic Low

Health officials in Pasadena reported no new COVID-19 infections or fatalities on Friday.

Following more than three weeks of daily case counts no greater than single digits, Pasadena’s average number of daily infections over the prior week dropped to 1.4, representing the lowest rate recorded since March 22, 2020, in the first weeks after the pandemic arrived in Pasadena.

The city’s total remained at 11,290 cases of COVID-19 and 347 deaths.

County health officials also reported continued progress as hospitalizations declined below 300.

Authorities reported 298 COVID-19 patients hospitalized throughout the county, with 18% of them being treated in intensive care units.

“This is the first time daily hospitalizations dropped below 300 and is the lowest number of daily hospitalizations since March 2020,” the L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a written statement.

Officials documented 229 new infections and 12 deaths on Friday, raising the countywide tallies to 1,243,522 known COVID-19 cases and 24,333 fatalities.

L.A. County Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer credited vaccination with the progress.

“If you are not yet vaccinated or unable to get vaccinated, it is very important that you continue to wear a mask and maintain distance when around others not in your household and for those eligible for vaccination,” she said. “The most powerful protection you can have is the vaccine, so please consider getting the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as you can.”

The California Department of Public Health announced 4,864 new infections and 170 deaths on Friday, bringing the state’s totals to 3,682,099 cases of the virus and 62,025 fatalities.

The statewide positivity rate over the prior week was calculated at 0.9%, officials said.

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