L.A. County continues to report decline in coronavirus cases but officials urge caution at events
LA TimesA healthcare worker waves his hand as he calls up the next person in line at a COVID-19 testing site operated by CORE in Los Angeles on Jan. 4. Los Angeles County health officials Saturday reported that the recent surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the Omicron variant was abating but urged people to continue to take precautions, especially in light of upcoming events that could further spread the virus. The county recorded 21,709 coronavirus cases Saturday, a 45% decline from a week ago when there were 39,117 cases, the public health department said in a news release. They included L.A.’s Twin Towers Correctional Facility, which recorded 3,598 cases among residents, 948 among staff and seven deaths; North County Correctional Facility in Castaic, which recorded 1,729 cases among residents, 204 among staff and three deaths; California State Prison, Lancaster, which recorded 1,591 cases among residents, 441 among staff and 14 deaths; and Men’s Central Jail, which recorded 1,263 cases among residents, 447 among staff and 12 deaths. L.A. County’s public health department reported an additional 405 active outbreaks at workplaces, food and retail stores that have infected a combined total of at least 10,000 workers but said no deaths have yet been linked to them.