Long Beach reports increase in new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations

Long Beach’s coronavirus metrics showed a larger than usual increase over the past two weeks, according to city data — a rise health officials previously cautioned against because of the Thanksgiving holiday, cold weather and the high circulation of other respiratory illnesses.

Despite the uptick in both new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations reported — and significant increases of both those metrics in Los Angeles County at large — Long Beach remained in the low community transmission tier, as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to data updated through Thursday, Dec. 1.

But that could quickly change if the numbers continue on their current trend, City Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis said in a Friday, Dec. 2, statement.

The Department of Health and Human Services reported 1,868 new coronavirus cases over the past two weeks, according to data posted to the city’s dashboard on Friday — a sharp uptick from the 431 cases reported as of Nov. 17.

The data is through Thursday, but the city posted the latest information to its COVID-19 dashboard on Friday. The numbers were not updated last Friday because of the Thanksgiving holiday.

The total number of cases since the pandemic began, according to city data, was 154,951 as of Thursday.

The city’s daily case rate was 18.2 per 100,000 people this week, the data shows, up from 7.4 two weeks prior. Long Beach’s seven-day case rate also increased, to 167.3 per 100,000 this week compared to 86.6 per 100,000 reported as of Nov. 17.

If the weekly average case rate tops 200 per 100,000 residents, Davis said, Long Beach will be moved into the medium community transmission level.

“If we reach medium, masking recommendations will go from ‘personal preference’ to ‘consider masking’ for the general population,” Davis said, “and will be required in higher risk settings such as shelters.”

Long Beach’s positivity rate has increased as well, to 15.7% this week from 6.3% two weeks ago. The city’s positivity rate far outpaced LA County’s as a whole, which totaled 3.7% as of Thursday, according to the data.

Hospitalizations are also up in Long Beach. There were 26 Long Beach residents hospitalized as of Thursday — up from eight reported two weeks prior.

The seven-day rate of new COVID-19 hospital admissions also increased, from 2.1 per 100,000 people two weeks ago to 4.7 this week. The proportion of in-patient beds occupied by those who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Long Beach-area hospitals was 4%, according to city data, a slight increase from 2.6% as of Nov. 17.

Long Beach’s COVID-19 deaths, though, have remained relatively stable, with the city reporting one COVID-19-related death over the past two weeks. The citywide death toll since the pandemic began was 1,339, as of Thursday.

The Southern California health care industry is concurrently battling higher-than-usual instances of influenza and RSV —or respiratory syncytial virus — along with the uptick in COVID-19 cases.

Both the flu and RSV can cause severe illness in young children, older adults and those with underlying health conditions. Because of that, LA County medical centers are already seeing high numbers of hospitalizations relating to complications from both viruses, the county’s public health director, Barbara Ferrer, said this week. Long Beach hospitals are also seeing an uptick in patients with complications from respiratory illnesses.

“This triple threat, as you may have heard it called, has a lot of potential to cause there to be significant circulating illness and to strain our health care system,” Ferrer said on Thursday, “both in terms of the number of beds that are available and the number of health care workers that are impacted by illness, which lowers the hospital’s capacity to take care of patients.”

Davis, for her part, urged residents to utilize effective virus mitigation measures to help curb the spread of COVID-19, RSV and the flu.

“We have so many respiratory viruses circulating right now. It’s critical for people to do what they can to protect themselves and their loved ones,” Davis said in a Friday statement. “That includes staying home when sick, practicing good hygiene, such as washing hands thoroughly and frequently, and trying not to touch your face. Getting vaccinated for flu and staying up-to-date on COVID vaccines is also important.”

COVID-19 vaccinations in Long Beach, though, have remained largely stagnant for months.

Children aged 5-to-11 remain among the least vaccinated in the city, with 28.8% fully inoculated. That number hasn’t changed in more than a month. Those 65 and older, meanwhile, are the most vaccinated, with a 99% inoculation rate.