LOS ANGELES — Deaths from COVID-19 in Los Angeles County have soared over the last week, with officials saying most of the recent fatalities appear to be from the omicron variant.
The spread of the latest coronavirus variant has moved with unprecedented speed since December, although officials have said people who get infected with omicron generally get less severe symptoms than with the earlier delta variant. Even so, officials say it is fatal for some.
Of 102 deaths reported Thursday — the highest single-day tally since March 10 — 90% involved people who became ill with COVID-19 after Christmas, and 80% were among those who fell ill after New Year’s Day, indicating a high likelihood of omicron infection, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said.
