As the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health continues to monitor indicators of COVID-19, there is evidence of small increases in transmission while hospitalizations and deaths remain relatively stable, likely reflecting built-up protection against severe illness from COVID-19.

Reported cases and wastewater data provide evidence that COVID-19 is circulating in L.A. County at somewhat higher levels than seen earlier this summer. However, this small uptick in transmission is not yet driving significantly greater numbers of new hospitalizations or deaths.

As of July 27, cases had increased more than 35% compared to two weeks prior. Nonetheless, in comparison to case counts last July, cases this July were on average 96% lower. While helpful to indicate larger trends, case counts are an undercount of the actual number of infections due to the large number of at-home COVID test results that are not reported to Public Health.

Wastewater concentrations of SARS CoV-2, the virus that results in a COVID-19 infection, are at 16% of the most recent winter peak for the week ending July 15, double the 8% that was reported two weeks ago, yet still of low concern. Looking at wastewater concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 provides information about transmission levels and is not dependent on cases reported or captured through testing.