LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County on Monday reported more than 31,500 new coronavirus cases — marking a nearly tenfold increase from the number of new cases tallied a month ago and offering a stark reminder of the lasting power of the highly contagious omicron variant.
Officials announced 31,576 new cases Monday, as well as 27 related deaths, compared with 3,360 new cases reported on Dec. 17. Monday's figures, officials cautioned, might be undercounts because of reporting delays over the weekend and holiday.
"On this national holiday where we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, we remember his deep commitment to health equity," said L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. "As Reverend King memorably said, 'Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and the most inhuman because it often results in physical death.'"
