That’s as Los Angeles reported 6,529 daily Covid infections yesterday – almost the highest total the count has seen since early February – and already has a 7.7-day 7-day test. This is almost a whole point in 24 hours from yesterday’s 12.9% and more than double what it was just over two weeks ago at 6.5%. For a number that is not only a percentage of the total tests but also an average of 7 days, these are huge jumps. Los Angeles movie and TV productions must now require indoor hiding as Covid numbers reach the “Escalation Trigger” threshold, says LA official The county’s test numbers are underrated, according to Ferrer, as they do not include the results from the prescription kits that many now use. The increased daily test-positive rate “probably represents the highest transmission rate associated with highly infectious Covid subtypes and also the reduction in routine school trials”, which was much more comprehensive than in the community as a whole and thus included many which would not normally be controlled. The 7-day average of new Covid-related hospitalizations is now 109 per day. Ferrer called it a “surprising increase” from the 84 new cases reported last week. Today’s average of new hospitalizations is also 78% higher than it was just a month ago. Now there is again concern about the growing pressure on the healthcare system. The untreated number of new Covid-related cases in local hospitals has risen to a four-month high (as of February 3) at 808. The 7-day average of such hospitalizations is now 8.1 per 100,000 inhabitants. This is from 6.6 new daily Covid imports per 100,000 inhabitants just yesterday. If that number rises to 10 per 100,000 and stays there for two weeks, Los Angeles Public Health officials have said they will reinstate the indoor public mask mandate. The current forecast is that this will happen by July 19. But there are other variables. “With the most contagious [BA.4 and BA.5] variations, with people taking fewer precautions and us entering a holiday weekend, this could really lead to an increase in cases, ”Ferrer said. “People are not following our recommendations to put their masks back on indoors now,” he continued. “I just suggest everyone do their part.” LACDPH