SoCal counties seeing slight uptick in rate of coronavirus cases

Some counties in Southern California are seeing the rate of coronavirus cases tick upwards as efforts continue to vaccinate the most vulnerable communities.

In Los Angeles County, the rate of infections increased slightly compared to last week, according to figures released by the state. That keeps the county firmly in the orange tier of the state's reopening framework at least through the end of April.

According to weekly state figures released on Tuesdays, Los Angeles County's seven-day average daily rate of new COVID-19 cases was 3.2 per 100,000 residents, a slight increase from 3.1 over the past two weeks.

In order to advance to the less-restrictive yellow tier of the state's Blueprint for a Safer Economy, the county must reach an average daily case rate below 2 per 100,000 residents and then maintain that rate for at least two weeks.

The county's rate of people testing positive for the virus also held steady from last week, at a low 1.5%.

Riverside County also saw a slight uptick in COVID-19 case rate numbers as well.

According to Department of Public Health Director Kim Saruwatari, the county's coronavirus positivity rate is unchanged this week at 2%, and the state-adjusted case rate is 3.6 per 100,000

people, which reflects a rolling seven-day average. Last week, it was 3.5 per 100,000.

According to the Riverside University Health System, 95 people diagnosed with coronavirus are in hospitals countywide, five more than Monday, and that includes 22 intensive care unit patients, up two from a day ago.

City News Service contributed to this report.