by Steven Felschundneff | steven@claremont-courier.com

The summer surge of the coronavirus in Los Angeles County continues with public health reporting a staggering 9,379 new cases over the first three days of this week and nearly 25,000 in the past seven days.
On Tuesday Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced that masks will be required at all outdoor events with crowds in excess of 10,000 people, regardless of vaccination status. Masks are required to be worn by everyone at all times except when actively eating or drinking at these events.
The startling number of cases can partially be explained by an increase in testing which coincided with the delta variant’s arrival in Southern California.
However, there is some good news—the test positivity rate, which is the best measure of how widespread the outbreak has become, has been in steady decline from 6.1 percent two weeks ago to just 3.6 percent on Sunday. This is an indication that the new masking ordinances may be working as people are choosing to wear masks in indoor settings.
On Wednesday, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported 4,046 new cases and 34 deaths. Cumulative totals for the county are 1,359,672 positive cases and 24,967 deaths.
Of the 34 new deaths reported Wednesday, six were over the age of 80, 13 were between 65 and 79, eight were between 50 and 64, six were between 30 and 49, and one person between the ages of 18 and 29.
The county is reporting 60 new cases in Claremont since the COURIER’s report last Thursday, for a cumulative total of 2,566. Sadly, one more city resident has died, bringing the total to 61.
Claremont’s vaccination rate has risen somewhat with 66.6 percent of residents over the age of 12 receiving at least one dose as of August 12. Countywide about 72.3 percent of eligible residents have received one dose, with 63 percent fully inoculated.
Hospitalizations in the county appear to have reached a plateau with about 1,600 COVID-19 patients in L.A. County hospitals daily for the past five days. The number fluctuates with 1,653 hospitalizations on Monday, and 23 percent in ICU.