5 things to know about COVID-19 this week

Fewer cases, more deaths, and infections in the LAPD
Health

Illustration of a COVID abacus

 

The situation with the coronavirus keeps changing. Crosstown stays up to date with the weekly 5 things to know about COVID-19. Here is the latest. 

 

1) Labor Day risks

Labor Day is Monday, and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is warning about increased exposure risks during the holiday weekend. Triple-digit temperatures that could drive people indoors are a factor.

 

So what’s the likelihood of encountering an infected individual? On Tuesday, the county’s weekly case rate stood at 200 cases per 100,000 residents. This means that in a group of 50 people, there is a 30% chance that at least one person has COVID-19. 

 

Health officials recommend masking up, and testing before and after gathering or traveling for the holiday. Remember, the Department of Public Health has a free program to pick up PCR test kits.

 

2) Fewer infections

This week marked the seventh consecutive week that the number of weekly new COVID-19 cases has fallen. From Aug. 24–30, there were 3,567 fewer cases reported by the Department of Public Health than one week prior. There were 3,237 cases reported on Wednesday. That brings the seven-day average to 2,647, the lowest rate since May 11. 

 

 

3) Deaths creep back up  

After four consecutive weeks of declining COVID-19 fatalities, deaths increased this week. From Aug. 24–30, there were 18 more deaths reported than one week prior. The uptick reflects the uneven nature of the virus, as well as how, throughout the pandemic, deaths have been a “lagging indicator,” tending to rise weeks or longer after hospitalizations started to tick up.

 

 

On Wednesday, there were 17 fatalities documented by the Department of Public Health, bringing the seven-day average to 14. Last week the average stood at 12.

 

[Get COVID-19, crime and other stats about where you live with the Crosstown Neighborhood Newsletter]

 

4) A different kind of LAPD case

Ever wondered how many COVID-19 cases there are in the Los Angeles Police Department? Probably not, but figures are available, as during the weekly Los Angeles Police Commission meeting, Chief Michel Moore provides a COVID-19 update.

 

On Tuesday, Moore said there were 44 new cases within the LAPD during the most recent week. That is a 21% decrease from one week prior. Moore added that 41 of the newly infected individuals had been vaccinated.

 

No department members are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, though 189 police personnel are recovering at home. Moore said that department members who are quarantining spend an average of 9–10 days away from the workplace.

 

There are currently 17 LAPD members with long COVID-19 , according to Moore. 

 

As of Aug. 16, there had been 6,995 cumulative COVID-19 cases in the department since the start of the pandemic. 

 

5) School’s in session

School is in full swing as September arrives. While the Los Angeles Unified School District no longer provides weekly PCR testing to all students and employees, the district continues to identify infection numbers. From Aug. 24–30, there were 2,740 positive results. The district has nearly a half million students and staff.

 

Currently, there are 3,342 active cases among district staff and students. Thirty-four of those were identified as a result of school-based transmission. 

 

As of Aug. 25, 87.2% of those 12–17 in the region had received at least one vaccine dose. Nearly 79% of people in the age group are fully vaccinated, according to the Department of Public Health

 

Among children 5–11 in Los Angeles, 40.5% have received at least one jab and 35% are fully vaccinated. 

 

How we did it: We analyzed coronavirus data related to new cases, deaths, hospitalizations and vaccinations provided by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

 

Interested in our data? Check out the Crosstown coronavirus interactive map or email askus@xtown.la.