48 new Santa Clarita coronavirus cases have been confirmed Friday, with 2,642 additional cases being confirmed within Los Angeles County.

The Santa Clarita Valley cumulative total is now 4,844, and the L.A. County total of cumulative coronavirus cases stands at 218,693 as of Friday, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LADPH).

”The lower number of daily COVID-19 hospitalizations is encouraging, however, we still have far too many people spreading this virus,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of public health. Every day, a team of public health specialists investigate clusters of cases associated with parties, dinner events and gatherings. None of these activities are essential and all can lead to growing number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.”

A total of 1,415 people are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19 throughout L.A. County, according to Public Health.

Of those hospitalized, 33 percent of patients are in the intensive care unit (ICU) as of Friday, according to the department.

The state has determined there has been under-reporting of COVID-19 cases due to technical issues with the electronic laboratory system (ELR), but the backlogged results are expected to become available in the coming days according to Governor Gavin Newsom.

Public Health has noted issues with the State electronic lab reporting system for about two weeks. 

“We save lives and slow the spread of COVID-19 when we commit to doing what we know works – avoid gathering with people that you don’t live with, wear a face covering, maintain physical distance, and wash hands often,” Ferrer said. 

Once the data reporting issues are fixed, the number of cases is expected to increase, according to the department.

Data sources that track other key indicators, including hospitalizations and deaths, are not affected by this reporting issue.

“Only when we get to low community transmission rates, can we re-open our schools and get more people back to work. The choice is ours to make – our recovery journey continues only if we all do our part today to slow the spread,” Ferrer said. 

Testing results are available for over 2,037,000 individuals as of Friday, with a daily positivity rate of 10 percent, according to public health officials.

45 additional deaths have been reported within the county Friday, for a total of 5,214 recorded people who have died due to coronavirus in Los Angeles County since March.

As of Friday, a total of 4,844 cumulative cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the Santa Clarita Valley since testing began in March. These include:

• 2,602 in the City of Santa Clarita*
• 101 in the unincorporated areas of Canyon Country
• 1,876 in Castaic*
• 21 in the unincorporated areas of Saugus
• 135 in Stevenson Ranch
• 39 in the unincorporated areas of Valencia
• 53 in the unincorporated areas of Val Verde
• Six in the unincorporated areas of Newhall
• Five in the unincorporated areas of Bouquet Canyon
• One in the unincorporated areas of Saugus/Canyon Country
• Five in unincorporated Sand Canyon

*As of Thursday, Aug. 13, officials had recorded 1,322 cumulative cases among prisoners at the North County Correctional Facility, and 495 at the Peter J. Pitchess Detention Center. Those cases are counted in both the City of Santa Clarita and Castaic totals.

Additionally, 55 cases have been confirmed in nearby Acton as well as 22 in Agua Dulce.

An analysis of available data indicates that as of Thursday, Aug. 13, reads that approximately 37.9 percent of all cumulative cases in and around the Santa Clarita Valley can be attributed to the inmate population at the North County Correctional Facility and the Pitchess Detention Center.

As of Wednesday, Aug. 12, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital has conducted 5.893 COVID-19 tests. Of those, 719 have tested positive, and 29 tests are still pending with Henry Mayo, according to Patrick Moody, spokesperson for the hospital.

There are nine patients in the hospital as of Wednesday, while 217 patients have been discharged since the hospital’s first case was reported in March, according to Moody.

A majority of all deaths in the county had underlying health conditions, according to public health, further encouraging those with medical issues to stay home, if possible.

See All Coronavirus Coverage: Coronavirus Coverage – COVID-19 Map

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