Omicron Subvariant Spikes In Los Angeles County

LOS ANGELES, CA — Los Angeles County is seeing a sharp rise in the spread of the highly contagious omicron subvariant known as BA.2, county health officials confirmed Thursday. At the same time, overall cases continue to fall to levels not seen since July, creating a muddled picture of the pandemic's trajectory this spring in Southern California.

BA. 2 accounted 14.7 percent of all specially sequenced cases as of the week ending March 5 — more than double its share of cases just one week earlier. At this rate, BA.2 could overtake omicron as the dominant variant in Los Angeles in April. BA.2 is believed to be roughly 30 percent more contagious than omicron.

Still, Los Angeles County has recorded more than 2.8 million COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, and 75 percent of eligible Angelenos are fully vaccinated. Health officials and county leaders will be watching to see if enough Los Angeles County residents possess the kind of immunity that could stave off a BA.2 surge.

In the meantime, Department of Public Health officials urge caution.

"Although most of our metrics continue to improve, the county continues to see substantial transmission," county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. "Along with the increasing circulation of the more-infectious BA.2 subvariant, everyone, especially those who are at elevated risk or live with someone at elevated risk, should wear a high-quality mask and get vaccinated and boosted."

Mask-wearing mandates have been lifted in the county in outdoor and indoor settings, although face coverings remain strongly recommended — particularly for people who are unvaccinated, are at heightened risk of severe illness from the virus or who regularly interact with vulnerable people.

County health officials noted that the growing reach of the BA.2 subvariant mirrors trends being seen in some East Coast states and in Europe.

The county on Thursday reported 27 new COVID-19 deaths, raising the overall death toll from the virus in the county to 31,561.

Another 734 infections were also reported, giving the county a cumulative total of 2,827,802 from throughout the pandemic.

According to state figures, there were 351 COVID-positive patients in county hospitals as of Thursday, down from 378 on Wednesday. The number of those patients being treated in intensive care was 52, down from 54 a day earlier.

According to the county, as of last Thursday, 83 percent of eligible county residents age 5 and older had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 75 percent were fully vaccinated. However, only 30 percent of children age 5-11 have been fully vaccinated, the lowest rate of any age group.

Among Black residents, only 55 percent are fully vaccinated, along with 59 percent of Latina/o residents, compared with 73 percent of white residents and 82 percent of Asians.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.