LOS ANGELES — Coronavirus transmission continues to decline in Los Angeles County after the months-long surge driven by the omicron variant, with the county health department on Saturday announcing just 1% of tests performed daily are coming back positive. But some hot spots remain, with outbreaks reported at multiple correctional and law enforcement settings.
L.A. County public health officials on Saturday reported 1,382 cases of the virus and 48 related deaths. The seven-day average of new cases has dropped nearly 61% over the last two weeks, according to the Los Angeles Times’ coronavirus tracker. There were 792 COVID-19 patients in county hospitals as of Friday, a decline of about 47% from two weeks before, when there were 1,502 patients.
The declines have enabled county public health officials to lift the countywide indoor mask mandate and stop requiring vaccination verification to attend outdoor mega-events or indoor bars and nightclubs.
