LA County reported nearly 1,700 “breakthrough" COVID-19 cases among close to 4.4 million fully vaccinated people. Breakthrough cases are when a fully vaccinated individual still contracts coronavirus. That means only a tiny percentage of fully vaccinated residents have tested positive, about .04%.
Hospitalizations are rarer still. LA County reports 139 hospitalizations, which amounts to .003%.
And there have been 19 deaths.
That's only .0004%.
“The numbers we’ll be watching with particular concern are those related to hospitalizations and deaths,” said Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.
"That's because an increase in hospitalizations or deaths amongst fully vaccinated people would be one of the earliest signals that a more lethal variant, not prevented by available vaccines, is in circulation."
There is no sign of that for now.
But Ferrer said a highly contagious and possibly more severe coronavirus variant that was first found in India does appear to be spreading in the county. And while fully vaccinated people should be well protected, the partially vaccinated may not be.
"It's concerning to see this increase," said Ferrer of the Delta variant's presence in LA County.
While transmission rates in the county are low, Ferrer said that may not be enough to protect unvaccinated people if more dangerous variants get a toehold here.