Serious breakdown in California systems causes inaccurate coronavirus numbers
4 years, 4 months ago

Serious breakdown in California systems causes inaccurate coronavirus numbers

LA Times  

A breakdown in the electronic collection of coronavirus test data is hampering California’s pandemic response, with some public health officials resorting to counting results by hand and a growing number of counties warning the public that statistics provided by the state on infection rates are unreliable. Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody said in a news conference Wednesday that the flawed data has officials “back to feeling blind.” “We don’t know how the epidemic is trending,” she said. “No one is really sure how many cases are being dropped,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said, stressing that the lost data affects contact tracers’ ability to identify people who have come into contact with an infected person. When asked during a media briefing for his take on the reporting issues announced this week, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti said he believed that the issue “probably has been with us since months ago.” He said that the way laboratories have input data into the state system “hasn’t changed in last two weeks, so there’d be no reason to believe that some sort of change in the last two weeks.

Public Health Data Cases California County Reported Weeks State Officials Health Officials Cody Public Health Officials Test Results Inaccurate Coronavirus  states  weeks  numbers  county  california  breakdown  data  reported  serious  causes  public  health  cases  state  officials  inaccurate  coronavirus  systems

History of this topic

California’s COVID-19 hospitalizations are near historic lows. Will the lull last?
1 year, 5 months ago

California’s COVID-19 hospitalizations are near historic lows. Will the lull last?

LA Times  

COVID-19 hospitalizations are close to record lows in California, an optimistic sign as the state attempts to navigate its first surge-free summer of the coronavirus era. Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a UC San Francisco infectious-disease expert, said he suspects that signs of an increase in coronavirus transmission are probably real in some locations, although “it’s not at a high level yet. …

How much COVID is in my community? It’s getting harder to tell
1 year, 7 months ago

How much COVID is in my community? It’s getting harder to tell

LA Times  

Bianca Povalitis, center, along with fellow roller skaters enjoy an evening at Venice Beach Skate Plaza in June 2022. But dwindling data make it more difficult to assess the virus’ trajectory in specific areas and for people to adjust their attitudes and behaviors accordingly — a potentially unsettling development for those who remain most at risk of falling seriously ill. …

The CDC is changing the way it monitors COVID-19 in the U.S.
1 year, 7 months ago

The CDC is changing the way it monitors COVID-19 in the U.S.

LA Times  

Dr. Nirav Shah, principal deputy director for the CDC, said the country will be able to maintain “good sight lines” into the state of COVID-19 in America. With the federal government’s three-year-old public health emergency set to expire next Thursday, the agency will begin to track COVID-19 cases alongside other respiratory illnesses, said Dr. Nirav D. Shah, the CDC’s principal …

California COVID-19 rules ease as emergency declarations end. Here’s what’s changed
1 year, 8 months ago

California COVID-19 rules ease as emergency declarations end. Here’s what’s changed

LA Times  

Shoppers, some wearing masks, make their way along Santee Alley in Los Angeles on Dec. 6, 2022. “With the rescinding of many emergency orders these past weeks, there are questions about which sensible protections remain important to consider,” said L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer. “Given the differing risks both by setting and by individual characteristics, the goals of …

While COVID raged, another deadly threat was on the rise in hospitals
1 year, 10 months ago

While COVID raged, another deadly threat was on the rise in hospitals

LA Times  

As COVID-19 began to rip through California, hospitals were deluged with sickened patients. Amid the new threat of the coronavirus, an old one was also quietly on the rise: More people have suffered severe sepsis in California hospitals in recent years — including a troubling surge in patients who got sepsis inside the hospital itself, state data show. There’s no …

Dangerous weeks ahead in L.A. County as coronavirus suddenly surges. Here is why
2 years ago

Dangerous weeks ahead in L.A. County as coronavirus suddenly surges. Here is why

LA Times  

Commuters, some with face masks and some without, walk through Los Angeles Union Station on Tuesday. “People came back from Thanksgiving and pretty quickly were testing positive,” county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. Dr. Sara Cody, the county’s public health director, warned that this winter is shaping up to be “extraordinarily difficult,” pointing to sewage data suggesting coronavirus levels …

You just tested yourself for COVID-19. Should you report the results to L.A. County?
2 years, 5 months ago

You just tested yourself for COVID-19. Should you report the results to L.A. County?

LA Times  

Testing more people more often could help identify outbreaks and limit their spread. But for a variety of reasons, a growing reliance on at-home rapid test kits may not help public health officials in their battle to track the pandemic. A spokeswoman said the Public Health Department “will be documenting and interviewing those that do call us with positive results.” …

Fueled by rapid reinfections, California’s soaring summer COVID wave could top winter surge
2 years, 5 months ago

Fueled by rapid reinfections, California’s soaring summer COVID wave could top winter surge

LA Times  

With sustained jumps in cases and hospitalizations fueled by the hyper-infectious BA.5 subvariant, this Santee Alley store is requiring shoppers to wear masks. “And the number of cases now probably is not all that dissimilar to what we saw during the massive surge in December and January.” That’s why, Wachter said, he strongly recommends masking in indoor public settings “in …

California’s new coronavirus wave is disrupting lives, even with less severe illness
2 years, 6 months ago

California’s new coronavirus wave is disrupting lives, even with less severe illness

LA Times  

A new surge of coronavirus cases is taking shape, as California slogs into a third pandemic summer with far fewer hospitalizations and deaths but still significant disruptions. “If we continue on the current trajectory, we could find that cases and hospitalizations end up exerting stress on our healthcare system within just a few weeks,” Los Angeles County Public Health Director …

Coronavirus hospitalisations, IC admissions and deaths continue to decline
2 years, 8 months ago

Coronavirus hospitalisations, IC admissions and deaths continue to decline

Dutch News  

The number of people hospitalised because of coronavirus in the past week was again down sharply, according to the latest figures from public health institute RIVM. The number of people admitted to intensive care has also gone down, from 72 a week ago to 50 in the past seven days. Dutch testing policy has now changed and people who test …

Coronavirus hospitalisations, IC admissions and deaths continue to decline
2 years, 8 months ago

Coronavirus hospitalisations, IC admissions and deaths continue to decline

Dutch News  

The number of people hospitalised because of coronavirus in the past week was again down sharply, according to the latest figures from public health institute RIVM. The number of people admitted to intensive care has also gone down, from 72 a week ago to 50 in the past seven days. Dutch testing policy has now changed and people who test …

Experts fear U.S. won’t see next COVID surge coming
2 years, 9 months ago

Experts fear U.S. won’t see next COVID surge coming

LA Times  

Firefighters collect samples of sewage water to measure coronavirus concentrations in Marseille, France. As coronavirus infections rise in some parts of the world, experts are watching for a potential new COVID-19 surge in the U.S. — and wondering how long it will take to detect. Despite disease-monitoring improvements over the last two years, they say, some recent developments don’t bode …

Editorial: It’s been two years of COVID. It’s time for a full accounting of our response
2 years, 9 months ago

Editorial: It’s been two years of COVID. It’s time for a full accounting of our response

LA Times  

There’s no great way to mark the exact moment when the pandemic began in the U.S. Was it when the first domestic case of COVID-19 was confirmed? At this time, as health officials consider whether the disease is moving toward an endemic stage, it’s appropriate to look back at the state and federal response. Not as an exercise in blame …

California surpasses 9 million coronavirus cases, equal to nearly 1 in 4 residents
2 years, 9 months ago

California surpasses 9 million coronavirus cases, equal to nearly 1 in 4 residents

LA Times  

At least once a week, Socorro Juarez dresses as a vaccine syringe and dances around, trying to convince fellow Latinos to get their shots. Over the last week, California reported an average of 4,587 new coronavirus cases per day — down 61% from two weeks ago. Recent weeks have seen officials throughout California move to relax some of the preventative …

Covid hospitalizations down 12%, Infections off by 40% during storm week
2 years, 10 months ago

Covid hospitalizations down 12%, Infections off by 40% during storm week

NL Times  

Preliminary figures from the RIVM showed that 1,214 people with Covid-19 were hospitalized the past seven days, the health institute said on Tuesday. That figure was 12 percent lower compared to the previous week, but the total number of hospitalizations is often revised upward by the RIVM, which uses data from the intensive care monitor NICE. In its weekly recap, …

Change in reporting method maybe behind high Covid hospitalizations; Figures released late today
2 years, 10 months ago

Change in reporting method maybe behind high Covid hospitalizations; Figures released late today

NL Times  

A change in how hospitals report Covid-19 hospitalization figures may be behind the significant increase in hospitalizations reported on Monday. Public health institute RIVM will publish its daily and weekly coronavirus figures later on Tuesday due to a new way of registering infections to clear up the backlog. The RIVM publishes weekly figures every Tuesday around 3:00 p.m, but this …

Coronavirus hospital admissions reach highest level for a month
2 years, 10 months ago

Coronavirus hospital admissions reach highest level for a month

Dutch News  

The number of patients being admitted to hospital with Covid-19 is continuing to rise, according to latest figures from the public health agency RIVM. On Wednesday morning there were 1,372 people in hospital with coronavirus infections, up by 19% since last week. On Tuesday the agency published breakdown figures which showed around three-quarters of people in hospital with coronavirus infections …

Coronavirus hospital admissions reach highest level for a month
2 years, 10 months ago

Coronavirus hospital admissions reach highest level for a month

Dutch News  

The number of patients being admitted to hospital with Covid-19 is continuing to rise, according to latest figures from the public health agency RIVM. On Wednesday morning there were 1,372 people in hospital with coronavirus infections, up by 19% since last week. On Tuesday the agency published breakdown figures which showed around three-quarters of people in hospital with coronavirus infections …

Coronavirus cases top 74,000 in a day but true figure is still unclear
2 years, 10 months ago

Coronavirus cases top 74,000 in a day but true figure is still unclear

Dutch News  

A total of 74,085 new positive coronavirus tests were reported to public health institute RIVM in the 24 hours to Friday morning, but the true figure is likely to be higher, given the backlog. Some 76,000 positive tests have not yet been incorporated into the RIVM figures because of technical issues and the surge in the number of positive cases, …

Coronavirus cases top 74,000 in a day but true figure is still unclear
2 years, 10 months ago

Coronavirus cases top 74,000 in a day but true figure is still unclear

Dutch News  

A total of 74,085 new positive coronavirus tests were reported to public health institute RIVM in the 24 hours to Friday morning, but the true figure is likely to be higher, given the backlog. Some 76,000 positive tests have not yet been incorporated into the RIVM figures because of technical issues and the surge in the number of positive cases, …

Optimism as Omicron peaks in California, but new BA.2 subtype raises questions
2 years, 10 months ago

Optimism as Omicron peaks in California, but new BA.2 subtype raises questions

LA Times  

There is growing optimism that the overall Omicron surge has peaked in California, but progress across the state remains uneven. “This downward trend is encouraging, and it signals that we’re likely to have passed the peak of Omicron transmission and are beginning to see a real decline in the number of newly infected individuals,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara …

California exceeds 8 million coronavirus cases, adding 2.5 million since New Year’s
2 years, 10 months ago

California exceeds 8 million coronavirus cases, adding 2.5 million since New Year’s

LA Times  

California has now surpassed 8 million cumulative coronavirus cases since the beginning of the pandemic, the end result of weeks of unprecedented spread fueled by the highly infectious Omicron variant. Since New Year’s Day, 2.5 million coronavirus cases have been reported in California. “Omicron was an eye opener, in part because people who had gotten infected with Delta seem to …

Even as Omicron plateaus, L.A. County officials recommend avoiding gatherings
2 years, 11 months ago

Even as Omicron plateaus, L.A. County officials recommend avoiding gatherings

LA Times  

Troy Pennington on Jan. 11 attends to a patient brought into emergency unit at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. So even as officials express hope that California’s winter surge is finally cresting, and in some areas, starting to decline, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said it’s still wise to postpone nonessential activities where people are unmasked and in …

Growing signs Omicron is leveling off in California
2 years, 11 months ago

Growing signs Omicron is leveling off in California

LA Times  

While California continues to see disturbing rises in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths, there are some early signs the unprecedented Omicron wave is slowing. According to data released Wednesday that reflect numbers through Tuesday, California was averaging 103,000 cases a day for the most recent seven-day period, slightly below the prior week’s rate of 107,000; the week before, the state was …

California approaches pandemic record for all hospitalizations
2 years, 11 months ago

California approaches pandemic record for all hospitalizations

LA Times  

Dr. Leo Rodriguez speaks to a patient in the emergency department at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance on Jan. 11. California’s state epidemiologist, Dr. Erica Pan, said last week that “we are seeing near-crisis levels” of emergency room overcrowding in some areas. “It’s just harder to try to be in so many places with all of …

Omicron brings fewer serious illnesses, but California hospitals are overwhelmed as cases soar
2 years, 11 months ago

Omicron brings fewer serious illnesses, but California hospitals are overwhelmed as cases soar

LA Times  

Registered nurse Anh Bui works with a COVID-19-positive patient Tuesday in the intensive care unit at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance. A study of data from Kaiser Permanente Southern California released this week, for instance, “noted substantially reduced risk of severe clinical outcomes in patients who are infected with the Omicron variant compared with Delta,” according …

California surpasses astonishing 6 million COVID infections as Omicron wave expands
2 years, 11 months ago

California surpasses astonishing 6 million COVID infections as Omicron wave expands

LA Times  

The arrival of Omicron has pushed daily caseloads to their highest levels and sent a stream of new coronavirus-positive people to the hospital. Even with a lower percentage being hospitalized, it still means quite a bit of work, quite a bit of pressure on our healthcare delivery system.” It was a little less than two months ago that the state …

Nearly 250,000 new coronavirus cases in 8 days: Where is L.A. County Omicron surge heading?
2 years, 11 months ago

Nearly 250,000 new coronavirus cases in 8 days: Where is L.A. County Omicron surge heading?

LA Times  

People wait in line at a coronavirus testing site on Broadway in Santa Monica. Over the last eight days, there have been nearly 250,000 positive cases of coronavirus reported in Los Angeles County, a record-breaking number that shows how fast the Omicron variant is spreading. “Clearly, the number of positive tests is actually higher than it was a year ago …

L.A. County reports highest one-week coronavirus total of pandemic
2 years, 11 months ago

L.A. County reports highest one-week coronavirus total of pandemic

LA Times  

Los Angeles continued to see an Omicron-fueled surge in coronavirus cases Saturday, as staffing shortages necessitated the deployment of California National Guard troops to testing sites and led the state to permit hospitals to relax rules about letting infected workers return to work. County public health officials said they had recorded more than 200,000 new coronavirus cases over the past …

Despite Omicron, L.A. sees far fewer critically ill patients than last winter
2 years, 11 months ago

Despite Omicron, L.A. sees far fewer critically ill patients than last winter

LA Times  

Components of an antigen test kit for the coronavirus and the flu. Despite an unprecedented spike in cases fueled by the Omicron variant, Los Angeles County hospitals are seeing far fewer critically ill coronavirus-positive patients than they did last winter. “Clearly, the number of positive tests is actually higher than it was a year ago — and I understand why …

Spike in California virus cases hitting hospitals, schools
2 years, 11 months ago

Spike in California virus cases hitting hospitals, schools

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — California is struggling to staff hospitals and classrooms as an astonishing spike in coronavirus infections sweeps through the state. The fast-spreading omicron variant of COVID-19 is sidelining exposed or infected health care workers even as hospital beds fill with patients and “some facilities are going to be strapped,” Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said …

As coronavirus cases explode in California, next few weeks are ‘absolutely critical’
2 years, 11 months ago

As coronavirus cases explode in California, next few weeks are ‘absolutely critical’

LA Times  

People wait in line at a coronavirus testing site on Broadway in Santa Monica on Monday. This pushed the statewide seven-day average of newly announced infections to 50,267, easily eclipsing the sky-high case counts seen during last winter’s deadly COVID-19 wave, according to data compiled by The Times. Los Angeles County reported 21,790 new positive cases Tuesday — the fourth …

Hospitals see big jumps in COVID-19 patients, but this surge is different from last winter
2 years, 11 months ago

Hospitals see big jumps in COVID-19 patients, but this surge is different from last winter

LA Times  

Registered nurse Akiko Gordon, left, and respiratory therapist Janssen Redondo tend to a COVID-19 patient inside the ICU at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital in Los Angeles on Friday. The number of coronavirus-positive patients has spiked dramatically across Southern California since Christmas — but some health officials are noting important differences in how the latest surge is playing out …

Omicron variant: California 1st state to top 5 million cases amid surge
2 years, 11 months ago

Omicron variant: California 1st state to top 5 million cases amid surge

India TV News  

Highlights California became 1st state to record more than 5 million known coronavirus infections The first coronavirus case in California was confirmed on Jan 25, 2020 California has recorded more than 75,500 deaths related to COVID-19 California became the first state to record more than 5 million known coronavirus infections, according to the state dashboard on Tuesday, which was delayed …

California COVID-19 hospitalizations rise, new L.A. County cases double amid Omicron spread
3 years ago

California COVID-19 hospitalizations rise, new L.A. County cases double amid Omicron spread

LA Times  

COVID-19 hospitalizations are on the rise in California as the Omicron variant spreads, combining with a holiday wave of the Delta strain to spark concerns of yet another surge that could strain the state’s healthcare system. In Orange County, the variant was found to have infected a fully vaccinated man who had recently traveled domestically outside California and experienced mild …

16,439 more Covid infections, but hospital total falls 3%
3 years ago

16,439 more Covid infections, but hospital total falls 3%

NL Times  

Data from the RIVM showed that 16,439 people were given a positive diagnosis for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus between Wednesday and Thursday morning. It was the first time since December 5 that the daily total was above the moving average. The current total includes 645 patients in intensive care units, one fewer than on Thursday after accounting for new admissions, discharges …

Over 23,000 new coronavirus infections; Covid hospital total rises to 2,430
3 years, 1 month ago

Over 23,000 new coronavirus infections; Covid hospital total rises to 2,430

NL Times  

A total of 23,066 people were diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus between Sunday and Monday morning. Meanwhile, the number of Covid-19 patients has gone up by another 114 to 2,430, putting the figure on pace to reach 3,000 for the first time since the first wave of infections during the Spring of 2020. The new figure pushed the seven-day moving …

How worried should California be about another winter COVID-19 surge? What we know
3 years, 1 month ago

How worried should California be about another winter COVID-19 surge? What we know

LA Times  

Mayra Navarrete, 13, receives a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine from nurse Noleen Nobleza at a clinic set up in the parking lot of CalOptima in Orange on Aug. 28. Officials and experts largely agree that California is unlikely to see a surge that reaches the grim heights of last winter’s — which overloaded hospitals with COVID-19 patients and …

After months of decline, coronavirus cases plateau in California. Can we avoid a new surge?
3 years, 1 month ago

After months of decline, coronavirus cases plateau in California. Can we avoid a new surge?

LA Times  

As Halloween kicks off the holiday season, officials are hoping not to see a surge in COVID cases as people travel and gather in numbers not seen since the pandemic began. Even though California continues to fare better than most states, it’s still considered to have “substantial” transmission — the second-worst category in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and …

Coronavirus hospital admissions up by 34% in last week
3 years, 1 month ago

Coronavirus hospital admissions up by 34% in last week

Dutch News  

The number of coronavirus patients admitted to hospital increased by 34% in the last week, with intensive care admissions up by 31%, according to the RIVM’s latest weekly figures. In the third week of October 584 people were admitted to hospital with coronavirus, the largest number in a single week since May, while 110 were taken into intensive care. Across …

Coronavirus hospital admissions up by 34% in last week
3 years, 1 month ago

Coronavirus hospital admissions up by 34% in last week

Dutch News  

The number of coronavirus patients admitted to hospital increased by 34% in the last week, with intensive care admissions up by 31%, according to the RIVM’s latest weekly figures. In the third week of October 584 people were admitted to hospital with coronavirus, the largest number in a single week since May, while 110 were taken into intensive care. Across …

70,000 Californians have died from COVID-19
3 years, 2 months ago

70,000 Californians have died from COVID-19

LA Times  

COVID-19 has now killed 70,000 Californians, illustrating the pandemic’s still-deadly consequences even as its latest wave recedes. While that overall death toll is the highest in the nation, other large states have seen cumulative death rates over the course of the pandemic that far surpass California’s. “It’s heartbreaking to know that we still have so many premature and largely preventable …

Coronavirus cases decline by 12%, more infections in over-60s
3 years, 2 months ago

Coronavirus cases decline by 12%, more infections in over-60s

Dutch News  

Coronavirus cases declined by nearly 12% in the third week of September, while the number of people admitted to hospital was down by 30%, according to the latest weekly bulletin by the RIVM. Another 213 people were admitted to hospital with coronavirus symptoms, the lowest number since the start of July and 30.4% down from last week’s figure of 306. …

Coronavirus cases decline by 12%, more infections in over-60s
3 years, 2 months ago

Coronavirus cases decline by 12%, more infections in over-60s

Dutch News  

Coronavirus cases declined by nearly 12% in the third week of September, while the number of people admitted to hospital was down by 30%, according to the latest weekly bulletin by the RIVM. Another 213 people were admitted to hospital with coronavirus symptoms, the lowest number since the start of July and 30.4% down from last week’s figure of 306. …

California coronavirus cases dropping, CDC says
3 years, 3 months ago

California coronavirus cases dropping, CDC says

LA Times  

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s map of coronavirus community transmission levels Tuesday evening shows California as the only state not in the worst category of coronavirus transmission. Over the same period, the San Francisco Bay Area reported a decline in weekly cases of 36%; Southern California, 28%; the Greater Sacramento area, 27%; the San Joaquin Valley, 18%; …

Urban California taming virus surge, but areas with low vaccination rates still in danger
3 years, 3 months ago

Urban California taming virus surge, but areas with low vaccination rates still in danger

LA Times  

Tracy Jones, a licensed vocational nurse, places a bandage on the arm of Angel Macias, 12, a San Fernando seventh-grader, after giving the student a first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Coronavirus cases are showing new signs of slowing across many parts of the state, led by improvements in Southern California and the San Francisco Bay Area, while other areas …

California sees progress in coronavirus fight compared with Texas, Florida, other states
3 years, 3 months ago

California sees progress in coronavirus fight compared with Texas, Florida, other states

LA Times  

A nurse gives a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to Gizelle Carrillo, 14, at Eagle Rock High School during a mobile vaccination clinic on Monday. Here is a breakdown: Slowing infections California has seen a steady drop in its test positivity rate, which reflects the percentage of tests that result in confirmed coronavirus infections. Cases still a worry Over …

Coronavirus figures stagnant, concern over hospitals in autumn
3 years, 3 months ago

Coronavirus figures stagnant, concern over hospitals in autumn

Dutch News  

Coronavirus cases and hospital admissions were virtually unchanged in the last week of August, with positive tests rising by 2% in the past week. Another 415 patients were admitted to hospital in the last seven days, compared to 426 the week before, while the number of people admitted to intensive care was unchanged at 97. Figures for Tuesday showed the …

Coronavirus figures stagnant, concern over hospitals in autumn
3 years, 3 months ago

Coronavirus figures stagnant, concern over hospitals in autumn

Dutch News  

Coronavirus cases and hospital admissions were virtually unchanged in the last week of August, with positive tests rising by 2% in the past week. Another 415 patients were admitted to hospital in the last seven days, compared to 426 the week before, while the number of people admitted to intensive care was unchanged at 97. Figures for Tuesday showed the …

‘This is not sustainable’: California hospitals filling again as Delta variant rages
3 years, 4 months ago

‘This is not sustainable’: California hospitals filling again as Delta variant rages

LA Times  

COVID-19 patient Jorge Hernandez, 64, does a lung exercise with his incentive spirometer inside Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance. California COVID-19 hospitalizations rise sharply across Southern California as surge continues COVID-19 hospitalizations have essentially doubled across much of California over the past two weeks — a troubling trend officials say illustrates the pandemic’s continued potency amid an …

Discover Related