Los Angeles County health officials are warning of a possible surge in COVID-19 cases following family gatherings and out-of-town trips during the holidays, despite pandemic guidelines that asked the public to stay home. Coupled with a high infection rate — about 1 in 95 in Los Angeles County are contagious with the virus, according to county estimates — the holidays are creating a “viral wildfire,” he said. The county averaged about 14,000 new coronavirus cases a day and 88 COVID-19 deaths daily over the past week. AdvertisementIn Los Angeles County, COVID-19 hospitalizations rose to 6,815 on Christmas, more than triple the figure from Thanksgiving. In mid-December, COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide were increasing at nearly 5% a day; on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, hospitalizations rose by less than half a percent each day.

Source: Los Angeles Times December 27, 2020 13:30 UTC