COVID-19 Infections in Pasadena Dip on Friday

New COVID-19 cases detected in Pasadena dipped on Friday, sending the city’s weekly infection rate on a downward trajectory for the first time in over a week.

Seven new cases of the virus were documented by the Pasadena Department of Public Health, raising the pandemic total to 11,507.

It was the first time since Monday that new infections dropped into single digits.

The number of average infections detected daily in Pasadena declined on Friday to 11.7, records show. The rate had been increasingly steadily since July 9, topping out at 12.4 on Wednesday and Thursday.

No new deaths were reported. A total of 351 fatalities had been documented in the city.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, however, reported that the county “continues to see alarming trends of increased community spread,” the agency said in a written statement.

County officials announced 1,902 new infections and six deaths on Friday, bringing the totals to 1,264,450 confirmed infections and 24,569 fatalities.

The county-wide test positivity rate had reached 3.8%, up from 0.4% as recently as early-June.

“Cases are highest and rising the fastest in adults age 18 to 49 years old,” according to the county statement. “Of the new cases reported by Public Health today, 71% are among adults 18 to 49 years old.”

Officials reported 452 COVID-19 patients were being treated at hospitals throughout the county on Friday, representing more than double the 216 patients documented a month ago.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced Thursday that in order to combat the spike, driven largely by the Delta variant, masks would be required for everyone while indoors, vaccinated or not.

State officials, however, had not followed suit, nor had the Pasadena Public Health Department.

L.A. County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis reiterated that vaccination is the best way to stamp out the virus once and for all, and thanked those who have already been inoculated.

“We have all seen COVID-19 spread very fast in just a small amount [of] time. The alarming increases in cases, positivity rates and the increase in hospitalizations signals immediate action must be taken to slow the spread of COVID-19. Otherwise, we may quickly see more devastating illness and death among the millions of residents,” he said.

“Without physical distancing and capacity limits during a time of substantial community spread, masking by everyone indoors is a simple and effective action we all can take to lower risk of transmission while limiting disruption to normal business capacity and operations,” Munti added.

“The urgency to get more people vaccinated remains high with this level of spread.”

At the state level, authorities reported 4,651 new infections on Friday, along with 65 additional fatalities.

Since the start of the pandemic, the California Department of Public Health had recorded a total of 3,748,365 COVID-19 cases and 63,598 deaths.

The statewide positivity rate continued a gradual but steady increase, reaching 3.7%, according to CDPH data. The rate was recorded at 1.6% on July 1.

As of Friday, L.A.County represented 34% of California’s COVID-19 infections and 39% of the state’s deaths.