After what appeared to be a decrease in COVID-19 rates in Los Angeles County, Calif., new cases again appear to be on the rise in the area.
As of Friday, there were more than 6,000 new cases reported in the county, said the Department of Public Health. According to the Los Angeles Times, cases were up around 20% Friday compared to the previous week.
“The earlier decrease was likely related to lower testing over the Memorial Day holiday, while the subsequent increase may be related to increased spread associated with travel and gatherings during the long holiday weekend and as we head into summer,” said L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer Thursday, per the outlet.
From Thursday to Friday, the number of new cases jumped from 4,846 to 6,202, hospitalizations jumped from 595 to 616 and the positivity rate increased from 5% to 4.7%.
So, should you cancel your summer plans? Not quite.
“There continues to be a significant risk of COVID-19 transmission in Los Angeles County,” said the health department as of Saturday. “Residents are asked to get vaccinated and get boosted when eligible and are encouraged to wear a mask in indoor public places.”
As we enter the third summer marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, cases nationwide have also increased in the past week, along with hospitalizations and deaths, according to The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The centers said that people are at a much lower risk of developing serious infection since much of the population has increased immunity through vaccination or previous infection. Additionally, treatments for COVID-19 are now more available than they were during the previous pandemic summers.
