While the estimated COVID-19 transmission rate in LA County has dropped a bit, it still indicates that we can expect to see even more new cases.
"Please do not think of this as a decrease," says Dr. Christina Ghaly, the county's health services director.
She points out the rate remains above 1, which means we can expect to see an increase in new cases.
The county reported a record high 16,525 cases yesterday. There was a higher one-day total last week but it included a large backlog.
"These rising cases will put even more strain on our already overburdened hospitals and the people that work with them and in them," Ghaly says.
The LA Times reports the county sent a memo to doctors this week asking them to talk to patients about avoiding unnecessary trips to the ER and encouraging the quick discharge of hospitalized patients to free up bed space amid a "steep increase" in COVID-related hospitalizations.
Ghaly says about 750 new COVID patients are being admitted to hospitals every day.
"Our hospitals are still under siege. They are using all of their surge capacity if they adjust in a variety of significant ways, but this is not sustainable," Ghaly says.
The state's latest update indicates there are now more than 6,700 COVID patients in county hospitals.
Since late last month, hospitalizations have been setting records on a daily basis.