The number of people in Los Angeles hospitalized with Covid-19 has doubled over the past two weeks, L.A. County's Department of Public Health announced Monday, urging the importance of vaccinations amid a surge in new cases countywide.
There are 1,437 people in L.A. County currently hospitalized with the virus, health officials said in a news release – nearly double the 745 people hospitalized on July 26. The number has continued to rise since June 15, when the state fully reopened its economy and 218 people were hospitalized.
The latest wave of positive cases is mostly affecting unvaccinated people, the department said. From May to July 2021, 92% of those hospitalized were not fully vaccinated.
“The significant increase in hospitalizations is of great concern," L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. "With the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines, we are hopeful that more people will get vaccinated during this time of very high transmission."
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles City Council will consider a motion that would require proof of vaccination to enter indoor public spaces like retails stores, gyms and restaurants, expanding on a similar order in New York City.
According to latest local health data, L.A. County's test positivity rate currently stands at 4.4% – a decrease from last week's rate of 6%.
There were 2,919 new Covid-19 cases reported in L.A. County on Monday, bringing the total number of cases to date to 1,329,262, the department said.