Contact Tracing Ramps up as COVID-19 Cases Increase

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) continues ramping up contact tracing efforts as cases of COVID-19 increase. Public Health has confirmed 51 new deaths and 2,667 new cases of COVID-19. To date, Public Health has identified 127,358 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of LA County, and a total of 3,738 deaths.

Currently, there are more than 1,500 contact tracers at Public Health who interview people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are residents of Los Angeles County. Prior to the pandemic, Public Health had approximately 200 staff who did contact tracing as part of their regular duties, with a focus on tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases and other acute communicable and vaccine preventable diseases such as measles.  With support from other County Departments, the State, and the City of Los Angeles, Public Health has trained hundreds of additional contact tracers.

Testing results are available for nearly 1,269,000 individuals with 9% of all people testing positive. The daily positivity rate (a composite of a 7-day rolling average) is higher at 10%. There are 1,995 people currently hospitalized, 26% of these people are confirmed cases in the ICU and 17% are confirmed cases on ventilators. This remains substantially higher than the 1,350 to 1,450 daily hospitalizations seen four weeks ago.

If a person has a positive test for COVID-19, expect a public health specialist from L.A. County Public Health to contact you by phone to interview you about possible exposures and to identify others who may have also been exposed to the infection. They will leave a call back number if necessary. If they cannot reach the patient by phone, they will send a letter. Please answer Public Health’s calls and call them back if they leave a message. The information is protected and cannot be shared with others except in emergency situations. Please also note a public health specialist will never ask for a social security number, payment or documented status.

Public Health has a hotline for confirmed cases of COVID-19. If you have not yet connected with a public health specialist or need more information on services, call the COVID-19 Case Info Line toll-free at 1-833-540-0473. Residents who do not have COVID-19 should continue to call 211 for resources or more information.

“For the families suffering a loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we send you our thoughts and prayers,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD, MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health. “As we continue to see increases in new cases and hospitalizations, it is important to remember that if you think you could be positive and are awaiting testing results, to stay at home and act as if you are positive for COVID-19. This means self-isolating for 10 days and 72 hours after symptoms and fever subside. If you are positive, know that you will receive a call from a public health specialist to discuss how to protect yourself and others, and so they can find out where you may have been, and who you were in close contact with while infectious.”

Of the 51 people that passed away, 32 people were over the age of 65 years old, 14 people who died were between the ages of 41 and 65 years old and three people who died were between 18 and 40 years old. Forty people had underlying health conditions including 28 people over the age of 65 years old, nine people between the ages of 41 to 65 years old, and three people between the ages of 18 and 40 years old. One death was reported by the City of Long Beach and one death was reported by the City of Pasadena. Seven people who passed away were residents at skilled nursing facilities.

Ninety-three percent of people who died had underlying health conditions. Of those who died, information about race and ethnicity is available for 3,482 people (99 percent of the cases reported by Public Health); 46% of deaths occurred among Latino/Latinx residents, 26% among White residents, 16% among Asian residents, 11% among African American/Black residents, less than 1% among Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents and 1% among residents identifying with other races. Upon further investigation, 47 cases and two deaths reported earlier were not LA County residents.

Business owners and residents must take immediate action in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. Stay home if you are elderly or have serious underlying health conditions. Everyone else should stay home as much as possible, and limit activities outside of your home to what is essential – work, getting groceries and medicine, and medical visits. Always wear a face covering and keep physical distance when you are outside your home. And wash your hands frequently. The actions of L.A. County residents to slow the spread are urgently needed.

The Reopening Protocols, COVID-19 Surveillance Interactive Dashboard, Roadmap to Recovery, Recovery Dashboard, and additional things you can do to protect yourself, your family and your community are on the Public Health website, www.publichealth.lacounty.gov.

Please see additional information below:

Total Cases

Laboratory Confirmed Cases

127358

-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)

120733

-- Long Beach

5172

-- Pasadena

1453

Deaths

3738

-- Los Angeles County (excl. LB and Pas)

3499

-- Long Beach

141

-- Pasadena

98

Age Group (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- 0 to 17

9054

- 18 to 40

52499

- 41 to 65

43307

- over 65

15188

- Under Investigation

685

Gender (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- Female

59809

- Male

60265

- Other

12

- Under Investigation

647

Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- American Indian/Alaska Native

101

- Asian

4192

- Black

3407

- Hispanic/Latino

34231

- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

430

- White

9655

- Other

19612

- Under Investigation

49105

Hospitalization (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- Hospitalized (Ever)

9676

Deaths Race/Ethnicity (Los Angeles County Cases Only-excl LB and Pas)

- American Indian/Alaska Native

9

- Asian

547

- Black

380

- Hispanic/Latino

1589

- Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

13

- White

920

- Other

24

- Under Investigation

17

CITY / COMMUNITY**

Cases

Case Rate

City of Agoura Hills

73

350

City of Alhambra

572

660

City of Arcadia

215

372

City of Artesia

140

834

City of Avalon

6

155

City of Azusa

606

1211

City of Baldwin Park

1215

1583

City of Bell

775

2133

City of Bell Gardens

901

2092

City of Bellflower

1152

1482

City of Beverly Hills

351

1017

City of Bradbury

7

655

City of Burbank

678

633

City of Calabasas

145

596

City of Carson

809

862

City of Cerritos

285

569

City of Claremont

148

406

City of Commerce*

258

1974

City of Compton

1832

1834

City of Covina

593

1209

City of Cudahy

551

2263

City of Culver City

242

607

City of Diamond Bar

243

422

City of Downey

2090

1829

City of Duarte

241

1095

City of El Monte

1977

1686

City of El Segundo

72

429

City of Gardena

608

992

City of Glendale

1657

802

City of Glendora

507

961

City of Hawaiian Gardens

231

1574

City of Hawthorne

897

1010

City of Hermosa Beach

107

544

City of Hidden Hills

5

265

City of Huntington Park

1445

2429

City of Industry

16

3661

City of Inglewood

1247

1098

City of Irwindale

26

1782

City of La Canada Flintridge

84

406

City of La Habra Heights

19

348

City of La Mirada

428

863

City of La Puente

623

1531

City of La Verne

173

520

City of Lakewood

583

725

City of Lancaster*

1384

857

City of Lawndale

276

821

City of Lomita

107

516

City of Lynwood*

1636

2271

City of Malibu

60

463

City of Manhattan Beach

194

539

City of Maywood

711

2535

City of Monrovia

366

943

City of Montebello

1116

1734

City of Monterey Park

413

663

City of Norwalk

1515

1408

City of Palmdale

1585

997

City of Palos Verdes Estates

60

444

City of Paramount

1091

1947

City of Pico Rivera

1209

1881

City of Pomona

2014

1292

City of Rancho Palos Verdes

167

391

City of Redondo Beach

283

412

City of Rolling Hills

3

155

City of Rolling Hills Estates

29

357

City of Rosemead

343

620

City of San Dimas*

219

634

City of San Fernando

356

1446

City of San Gabriel

297

725

City of San Marino

33

249

City of Santa Clarita

1473

668

City of Santa Fe Springs

244

1329

City of Santa Monica

482

521

City of Sierra Madre

42

382

City of Signal Hill

122

1034

City of South El Monte

352

1685

City of South Gate

2143

2183

City of South Pasadena

179

687

City of Temple City

292

801

City of Torrance

710

476

City of Vernon

13

6220

City of Walnut

134

439

City of West Covina

1329

1228

City of West Hollywood

314

850

City of Westlake Village

11

132

City of Whittier

998

1141

Los Angeles

53492

1323

Los Angeles - Adams-Normandie

123

1500

Los Angeles - Alsace

195

1567

Los Angeles - Angeles National Forest

2

5000

Los Angeles - Angelino Heights

28

1119

Los Angeles - Arleta

590

1717

Los Angeles - Atwater Village

103

702

Los Angeles - Baldwin Hills

321

1031

Los Angeles - Bel Air