
MTLB
LB Covid-19 Update: 13 LBPD Employees Tested Positive; 597 New Cases Since Yesterday

What's New:
City officials announced that thirteen public-facing Long Beach police officers from multiple divisions have tested positive for coronavirus and that one of the infected officers is currently hospitalized with the virus.
Some of the infected officers worked as recently as Jan 6.
Five hundred seventy-seven people are currently hospitalized with the virus, a new record.
Two public-facing employees in the Parks, Recreation and Marine Community Recreation Services Bureau have tested positive for COVID-19.
This week the inoculation of Long Beach Fire Department, EMT, and paramedics began.
Why it matters:
In December, the LBPD faced criticism for conducting training sessions inside the Long Beach Convention Center with hundreds of officers, nearly all within close proximity of one another and without wearing masks; soon after the event, a surge of covid-19 cases gripped the department, per LA Times.
Since the start of the pandemic, 85 LBPD employees tested positive for coronavirus.
In LA County:
A person dies from Covid-19 in Los Angeles County every eight minutes, county officials said Thursday.
Public Health officials say Jan 3., patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have intensified by more than 550 people.
From Dec 6, 2020, through Jan 3, 2021, the County has issued 143 citations to businesses for noncompliance with Covid-19 health orders.
Catch-up Quick:
On Wednesday, Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia announced that 75% of health care workers have been vaccinated against the virus and that the next phase of the vaccine rollout, which includes teachers, will start on Jan 14.
Mayor Garcia said that Long Beach is "losing people in our community at a faster rate than we have before."
The city reported over 18,000 Covid-19 cases within one month.
Long Beach's Director of Health and Human Services Department,, Kelly Colopy,, announced on Wednesday that 85% of ICU beds are currently occupied.
On Dec 5., Long Beach had 173 people hospitalized with Covid-19; this week,, the city reported 573 Covid-19 related hospitalizations. That's an 1876% increase with 230% just in December alone, Colopy said.
By the Numbers 1/7/21
37,293 total positive results (+597)
Seven-day positivity rate: 17.8%
133 seven-day case rate per 100K population
447 fatalities
248 Long Beach residents hospitalized with COVID-19
577 total COVID-19 hospitalizations in area hospitals
Approximately 26,007 recovered
539,832 total tests conducted
Information as of Jan. 6