Last update 3/31/21
How many cases of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) are in the United States and locally?
United States
The total population of the U.S. is 328,200,000 people. Since January 25,
2020, the total number of confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases in the
U.S. is 30,213,759 with 548,162 deaths that are confirmed or probable
due to COVID-19. That means that about 9% of the population have or had
confirmed or probable COVID-19. See below for CDC's definition for
probable. The number of cases increases cumulatively as the pandemic continues. There have been 363,143,628 COVID-19 tests conducted in the U.S.
The CDC reports that through March 26, cases testing positive have declined
by 77% since the highest peak on January 11, 2021. The percentage of hospitalizations
have decreased 71.5% from its 7-day average peak on January 9, and is
at August 2020 levels. The rate of hospitalization continues to be highest for people 65 years
of age and older.
Deaths have decreased 72% since the highest peak on January 13. For those
with COVID-19 nationally, the cumulative death rate (# of deaths in relation
to # of cases) continues to be steady at about 1.8%. The CDC also reports that among adults, 8 out of 10 deaths have been 65
years of age and older.
People at any age may be at greater risk if they have certain underlying
medical conditions. These include:
- cancer
- chronic kidney disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
- obesity (body mass index [BMI] - of 30 or higher)
- serious heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease,
or cardiomyopathies
- sickle cell disease
- type 2 diabetes mellitus
Other conditions
might be at an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
Click here for more information about underlying medical conditions.
All CDC statistics attributable to COVID-19 are either confirmed or probable.
"Probable" case or deaths are defined as any ONE of the following:
- meets clinical criteria AND epidemiologic linkage without confirmed laboratory
testing performed for SARS-CoV-2
- meets presumptive laboratory evidence
- meets vital records criteria with no confirmatory laboratory evidence for
SARS-CoV-2
More specifics about critieria, epidemiologic linkage and laboratory evidence
noted above is in the CDC's August 5, 2020
position statement here.
See the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) chart below for national case
statistics from March 1, 2020 through March 30, 2021.
Note: This chart includes confirmed and probable cases.
Los Angeles County
The total population in Los Angeles County is 10,040,000 people. As of
March 30, 2021 in Los Angeles County, the total number of confirmed cases
is 1,218,958 (with 23,110 deaths.)
That means that about 12% of the local population has or had confirmed
cases of COVID-19. The number of cases increases cumulatively as the pandemic continues but
has been holding steady for the last several weeks.The number of cases testing positive has declined since January 4 and is
now at a rate seen in the summer 2020. The average positivity rate has
dropped to 1.5%. The number of hospitalizations and deaths have continued
to decline since mid-January. Hospitalizations are down more than 75%.
The cumulative death rate (# of deaths in relation to # of cases since
the beginning of the pandemic) remains fairly steady at about 1.89% as
of March 30 about the same as the national rate.
To date, about 6,080,900 individuals have been tested for the virus across
Los Angeles County. Cumulatively, 19% have tested positive. Based on last
data provided by LA County, about 91% of all patients who have died had
underlying medical conditions. Death by ethnicity is: 52% Latinx, 24%
White/Caucasian, 14% Asian, 9% African American/Black, less than 1% Native
American/Pacific Islander, and 1% Other Races.
See updated chart below for cases by age group in Los Angeles County.
*An
interactive map on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website for the United States
is updated Monday through Friday.
**Information about our area is updated daily on the
Los Angeles County Deparment of Public Health (LACDPH) website.
Is the Covid-19 vaccine currently available?
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, as of
January 5, 2021 vaccinations are proceeding throughout Los Angeles County
as they continue to build capacity. The County has been actively vaccinating
frontline healthcare workers at acute care hospitals; staff and residents
at skilled nursing facilities and long-term care facilities; individuals
65 and older; workers in education and childcare, emergency services and
law enforcement, food and agriculture, transportation and logistics, janitorial
and maintenance services; and individuals with health conditions and disabilities.
High-priority groups may receive communication from their health care
provider with information on how to receive the vaccine or they may visit the
Los Angeles County Covid-19 Vaccine page. As of April 1, residents aged 50 - 64 are eligible to receive the vaccination.
As of April 15, the vaccination will be available to any resident aged
16 and older. To find additional County information, sign up for email
notifications, or sign up for a vaccine appointment (if eligible), visit the
Los Angeles County Covid-19 Vaccine page.
According to the CDC nationally, there have been 150,273,292 million vaccines
administered through March 31, 2021 in the United States. Overall, over
97.5 million people have received at least one dose of the vaccine, which
is 29.4% of the U.S. population. Over 54.6 million people have received
two doses, or about 16.4% of the population.
What is community spread? Is the virus still spreading in the U.S.?
It has flattened in most parts of the United States. The percentage of
cases testing positive, hospitalizations, and deaths have continued to
decrease since early-to-mid January, 2021.
Community spread happens when people have been infected with the virus
in a community, including some who are not sure how or where they became
infected, and have not traveled to countries where the virus has been
circulating. It is now believed that there may be a significant number
of people infected with COVID-19 who do not show symptoms and may spread
the virus to others. The duration and severity of each phase can vary
depending on the characteristics of the virus and the public health response.
All 50 states have reported COVID-19 cases, with widespread community
spread since the pandemic began.
Has the curve flattened in LA County?
The number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have continued to decline
through the week ending March 26, 2021. The cumulative death rate (# of deaths in relation to # of cases) since
the pandemic started is 1.89%, about the same as the national average. As of March 15, Los Angeles County revised its health order (effective
March 15) and has been allowing additional businesses to reopen, however,
cases are in the range that shows the COVID-19 pandemic is still present.
According to County guidance, all residents, business owners and employees
must continue to observe and practice all COVID-19 physical distancing
and mask requirements, avoid crowds and get vaccinated when it's your
turn. See more information below.
Is social distancing still needed? Has the Stay at Home Order been lifted?
Yes, social distancing and mask requirements are still needed. As of March
15, 2021 the County has moved into the 2nd tier of reopening (Red Tier).
As of March 15, 2021 Los Angeles County has issued a revised public health
order. The order was issued due to the recent decline in cases, hospitalizations
and positive tests in the County, however, the pandemic is still present.
Residents must continue exercising caution and limit close contact with
others outside of their household in both indoor and outdoor spaces. When
leaving your home, residents should continue to practice social distancing
(staying 6 feet away from people who don't live with you), wash hands
frequently, and wear a face covering. Any private gatherings must be held
outside for a maximum of two (2) hours and limited to three (3) households
or a maximum of 15 people. Outdoor gatherings with singing, shouting or
chanting are strongly discouraged. If they do occur, masks must be worn
and 8-10 feet of physical distance must be maintained.
As of March 15, the following lower-risk businesses may reopen with social
distancing and specific infection control protocols. These include (1)
retailers (Lower-Risk Retail Businesses), (2) manufacturing and logistics
sector businesses that supply Lower-Risk Retail Businesses, (3) Non-Essential
office-based businesses (if persons can telework or work from home, they
should continue to do so as much as possible), (4) Indoor Malls and Shopping
Centers. All Lower-Risk Retail Businesses and Essential Office-Based Businesses
that are open for indoor operations, along with Indoor Malls and Shopping
Centers, must limit capacity at 50%. Food courts are limited to 25% capacity,
(5) Limited Services businesses at 50% capacity.
In addition, these include: Restaurants for delivery, drive-thru, carry
out, outdoor dining, and 25% capacity for indoor dining; grocery stores
at 50% capacity; indoor personal care establishments (hair salons, nail
salons, skin care, tattoo parlors, massage therapy) by appointment only
at 50% capacity; outdoor gyms at 50% capacity; inside gyms at 10%; outside
portions of museums, galleries, botanical gardens, zoos, and aquariums
at full capacity; indoor portions of museums, galleries, botanical gardens,
zoos, and aquariums at 25% capacity; outdoor batting cages and miniature
golf venues at 50% capacity; outdoor playgrounds and recreational parks
including beaches, golf courses, swimming pools, trails, parks, day camps,
and camping parks; movie theaters at 25% capacity with reserved seating;
and libraries with curbside pick up. Other low risk retailers such as
bookstores, pet food stores, and hardware stores are open, as well as
hotels and short term rentals with safeguards. Also open are indoor faith-based
services at 25% capacity; and office-based businesses when teleworking
is not possible, such as realtors and film and television production.
As of March 15, the following businesses are still closed under state and
County orders: nightclubs and lounges; bars and craft distilleries; public
entertainment venues (live performance, concerts, theme parks and festivals);
family entertainment centers with indoor operations (such as indoor bowling
alleys, arcades); indoor playgrounds except those at school or childcare
centers; public hot tubs, steam rooms and saunas.
Additional information is in the latest
City of Los Angeles Public Order update (updated March 16, 2021),
LA County Reopening Safer at Work and in the Community Revised Order (updated March 12, 2021), and on the
LA County Reopening page (updated March 12, 2021).
Recommendations to help protect yourself and prevent the spread are on our
COVID-19 FAQs page.
What is the status of the reopening of schools and colleges?
As of March 15, 2021 the state is permitting all public and private schools
(grades K - 12) in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to
reopen for in-class instruction after meeting safety measures. Additional
information is in the latest
LA County Reopening Safer at Work and in the Community Revised Order (updated March 12, 2021).
Until all schools are reopened, the remainder of LAUSD students will continue
with online instruction. For more information and resources, visit the
LAUSD website or call their hotline at 213.443.1300.
As of March 15, 2021 colleges and universities may continue in-person essential
operations and indoor academic instruction at 25% occupancy or 100 people,
whichever is less, with distance learning continuing to be offered to
the extent practicable. Additional information is in the latest
LA County Reopening Safer at Work and in the Community Revised Order (updated March 12, 2021).
What are the symptoms, testing, and treatment options for someone who has COVID-19?
Symptoms usually appear gradually 2 to 14 days after exposure. Some people
have had only mild symptoms while others have become severely ill. The
CDC's list of symptoms include fever or chills, cough, shortness of
breath/difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache,
sore throat, new loss of smell and taste, and congestion or runny nose.
Some patients may have digestive issues such as loss of appetite or diarrhea.
Severe symptoms include trouble breathing; persistent pain or pressure
in the chest; new confusion; inability to wake or stay awake; and pale,
gray or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone.
This list is not all possible symptoms. If you have these or other symptoms
that are severe or concern you, you should get medical attention immediately.
The City of Los Angeles is providing free COVID-19 testing to all Los Angeles
County residents, whether or not you are experiencing symptoms. Priority
is given to people with symptoms. For more information visit the
City of Los Angeles COVID-19 Testing page.
Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special
treatment. There is no specific treatment for illnesses caused by COVID-19
however many of the symptoms can be treated. Generally, it depends on
the severity of the case and the patient's medical condition and history.
More information about what you should do if you think you have COVID-19
symptoms is on our
COVID-19 FAQs page.
When will a COVID-19 patient be isolated or quarantined?
Public health actions that are used to limit the spread of the virus include
isolation and quarantine. Isolation is used when a person is sick with
COVID-19 and is isolated from other people in their own homes. In more
severe cases a sick patient will be isolated in hospitals and other healthcare
facilities, away from other patients. In most cases isolation is voluntary,
but health officials have the power to require isolation of sick people
to protect the public's health.
When a person is quarantined they are separated from others because they
have tested positive for the virus but are not sick. Even though they
are not sick at the moment, if they were exposed to the disease, they
may still become infectious and spread the disease to others.
Evidence suggests that it may take longer for the virus to shed, which
means an infected person be able to infect other people over a longer
period of time than was initially thought. On May 8, 2020 the CDC updated
their guidance on how long people who are positive or presumed positive
for COVID-19 should self-isolate. Visit the
CDC website for more information.
Where can the public get up-to-date information?
Please check our main
COVID-19 portal page which will be regularly updated with the latest information from
Valley Presbyterian Hospital, including links to event and class cancellations
as well as messages from our CEO.
Our
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) page provides answers to many questions such as how to prevent the COVID-19
virus and what to do if you think you have it.
Our
Resources page has links to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Los Angeles County
Department of Public Health, City of Los Angeles, and World Health Organization
for up-to-date information locally, nationally and worldwide.
Return to COVID-19 portal page