The California COVID Tracker, a joint effort between Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, CZ Biohub, and the State of California has provided free whole-genome sequencing and analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to all California Departments of Public Health and local health jurisdictions since July 2020, enabling officials to better map the virus. The CDC reported in August that unvaccinated people are almost 30 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than those who are fully vaccinated. Monitoring for the presence of the variant in California through the California SARS-CoV-2 Whole Genome Sequencing Initiative, known as COVIDNet. Get a prescription for antiviral therapies such as Paxlovid if you become infected and you qualify, because it can help prevent hospitalization and lower the risk of long COVID, he said. Despite its growth elsewhere, XBB.1.5 is nowhere close to dominant in California. Your tax-deductible financial support keeps our stories free to read, instead of hidden behind paywalls. What are the differences between flu symptoms and omicron symptoms? The CDC has a new plan to get a jump on new coronavirus variants asking LAX passengers arriving from overseas to swab their noses for the sake of science. Its important to remember that you may be asymptomatic and not know you are infected but still able to spread COVID-19. At the global level, the World Health Organization is following closely and assessing the risk of this subvariant and will report accordingly, said Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, referring to XBB.1.5. If you think you've been exposed to COVID-19, please see current testing information. How Variants Work Husband and wife, Maria (L) and Faustino Salazar (CR) both precieve their Covid-19 boosters at the community testing and vaccination clinic, United in Health/Unidos en Salud is seen on Friday, September 23, 2022 in the Mission Distric of San Francisco, Calif. COVID variant XBB.1.5 is the latest in California. He previously was a reporter and assistant city editor for the Daily Pilot, a Times Community News publication in Orange County, and before that wrote for the Santa Clarita Valley Signal. In fact, for many people, supplements like omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics, and even echinacea help improve immune function by fighting viruses and reducing inflammation. All but two of the reported omicron cases were in people who had been vaccinated, and the vaccination status of two others was unknown. Sign up for How To LA, delivered weekday mornings. New variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, are expected to occur. The new BN.1 omicron offshoot, which the CDC designated a subvariant of concern last weekend, has already taken off. People check-in at a COVID-19 community testing and vaccination clinic in the Mission District. Our concern is how transmissible it is, Van Kerkhove said. In its COVID epidemiological update last week, the WHO said the mu variant has been detected in at least 39 countries, including the U.S. A majority of residents of Wyoming, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana all "red" states have not been fully vaccinated for the virus, according to Johns Hopkins Universitys Coronavirus Resource Center. However, its unclear whether the circulation of this latest strain, XBB.1.5, will alter the trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic. Use of this data is subject to the CHHS Terms of Use and any copyright and proprietary notices incorporated in or accompanying the individual files. Experts emphasize that while the vaccines may not be as effective at preventing infections, they still hold up well against serious illness and death. Required vaccine coverage among kindergartners drops again More cases of the omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 continued to surface around the state, from the Central Valley to Southern California, health officials reported. But there is no evidence, at least so far, that its as infectious as the delta variant that now dominates California. This means that we will continue to see mutations. Tool ranks 25 cities based on An iconic moment: In Warriors return to White House, Biden takes a knee, S.F. Are COVID-19 vaccines effective in protecting against omicron BA.5? ", "COVID-19 | A.P. And state health officials said one each has been reported in San Francisco the first U.S. omicron case reported Dec. 1 and the counties of Long Beach, El Dorado, Yolo, Ventura and Santa Clara, which announced its case Friday. Experts say lambda could be more infectious and resistant to vaccines than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified one variant of the virus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a variant of concern: Omicron. This is compared to surgical masks that reduce the rate of infection by about 60-70%, and greater than 80% for N95s. You will then be prompted to answer which vaccines you have received already. Are they different in any way from previous strains? The 160 deaths are a new peak for L.A. County this autumn and winter. If we had more robust surveillance, we would have a better understanding of its prevalence and trajectory., This will become clearer with time, Karan said, but for now, this variant is outcompeting other variants and has mutations that give it an advantage to enter cells while also evading parts of our immune system.. LOS ANGLES (CBSLA) - A new COVID-19 variant is setting off alarms around the globe and creating new regulations at home. Viruses mutate into new strains or variants over time. Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (CSMC) in Los Angeles analyzed COVID-19 strains before and after the surge in cases in southern California in October 2020. The states transmission rates have gone back up to the CDCs red high level from the orange substantial level before Thanksgiving, and Bay Area counties that were in the yellow moderate level are back to orange. Nationwide only about 15 of every 1,000 cases are sequenced. Coronavirus: Orange County reported 2,246 more cases and 36 more deaths in the past week S.F. This is a carousel. FEATURED PARTNER. It is more easily spread than other strains because it evades immunity from past COVID-19 infection and vaccination. Still, hospitalizations are increasing across the country, particularly in the Northeast, and more people are dying compared with a month ago, Swartzberg said. cov-lineages/pango-designation", "Deltacron: what scientists know so far about this new hybrid coronavirus", "More Data Point to Lambda Variant's Potential Lethality", "SARS-CoV-2 Lambda variant exhibits higher infectivity and immune resistance", "What Mutations of SARS-CoV-2 are Causing Concern? In. According to the agency, These projections can be uncertain or fluctuate within a wide predictive interval when a variant is just beginning to spread.. We cant attribute the increase in hospitalizations to XBB.1.5 yet, but we are working with U.S. CDC colleagues closely and we have asked them for a detailed risk assessment of XBB.1.5 as well just as we would with any country and any subvariants that are circulating, Van Kerkhove said. Being careful translates to doing the things that we know work, which includes staying up to date on vaccines, wearing a good, well-fitted mask in indoor public spaces, and steering clear of others if you get sick. There is a also a lag before sequencing data is fully available, so it is likely already more common than the CDC data suggests in the Bay Area., Because of an inadequate amount of PCR testing and insufficient genomic sequencing of positive tests, Swartzberg said, we have a very myopic vision as to how this virus is evolving.. Every time COVID-19 infects someone, theres a chance for more mutations, which can allow the virus to keep spreading. Just one-tenth of 1 percent of the cases that are genetically sequenced involve lambda, according to GISAID. Since September 2020, the lambda variant has accounted for 152 genetically sequenced COVID-19 cases in California, according to the state Department of Public Health. Officials expect more than 2 billion trips to be made in China during the weeklong holiday, the most important time for visiting family and friends. You can also sign up to get four free COVID test kits that are mailed to you from the federal government. If you know you had contact with an infected person, particularly in a higher-risk situation (such as an indoor space for a longer period with others who werent masked), testing is advised. Nearly all hospitalizations and deaths in California and nationwide have occurred in unvaccinated people. As the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic nears an end, the coronavirus continues to evolve and prove that it has more tricks up its sleeve. While data hasn't been released on XBB.1.5 specifically, I would anticipate the same trends to hold, he said. Users of this data file provided by the Office of the Patient Advocate (OPA) shall not have the right to alter, enhance, or otherwise modify the data. The Omicron variant continues to spread throughout communities and can infect people who have been vaccinated or have previously had COVID-19. Flu usually begins with a cough, whereas COVID-19 most often starts with a fever. ), the sequence, Ability to evade detection by diagnostic tests, Decreased susceptibility to neutralising antibodies, either therapeutic (e.g., convalescent plasma or monoclonal antibodies) or in laboratory experiments, Ability to evade natural immunity (e.g., causing reinfections), Increased risk of particular conditions such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome or. While this is associated with the emergence of XBB.1.5, we do not know if this subvariant is a sufficient cause, he said. As of Monday, 4,159 coronavirus-positive patients were hospitalized in California a 6% decrease from two weeks ago. Topol said in a commentary published Sunday in the Washington Post that the emergence of XBB.1.5 shows the coronavirus still isnt done with us. LOS ANGELES, CA The highly contagious Mu variant of the coronavirus has been detected in Los Angeles County, health officials confirmed Friday. The emerging lambda variant has been popping up in the news as it spreads rapidly throughout South America. What Does That Mean? In California, at least 152 cases have been reported, the first as early as September 2020, according to state public health officials. At the same time, the director of the U.S. CDC, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, reported: The rate of disease is markedly lower for those who received their booster shot. She and her colleague, the unfairly maligned Dr. Fauci, noted that most of the hospitalizations and deaths now occurring in the country are among unvaccinated people. This includes an increased risk for: Read more: 9 things we've learned about long COVID so far. (Chava Sanchez/LAist). It furthermore noted that rapid growth in the U.S. would not necessarily mean the same would occur in Europe, since major differences in variant circulation between North America and Europe have been observed several times during the pandemic.. It is among the unvaccinated that the virus is free to evolve. We need to go deeper and look at the reasons for the increases in hospitalization and determine what is happening.. The more people who are infected, the more likely we are to see new variants. What about the bivalent booster? There are many variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). You should also quarantine, watch for COVID-19 symptoms, stay away from others in your home, and wear a mask. Rong-Gong Lin II is a Metro reporter based in San Francisco who specializes in covering statewide earthquake safety issues and the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccines administered updated January 12, 2023 at 9:37 AM with data from January 11, 2023. The California Department of Public Health works with many partners to achieve a goal of sequencing at least 10% of all positive tests. That figure includes those hospitalized with COVID-19 and a larger segment of patients who test positive after seeking care for some other reason. Although it can vary, people are generally contagious between 1-3 days before omicron symptoms show. By contrast, a clear majority of people living in most of New England the "blue" states of Maine (74.6%), Vermont (75.1%), Rhode Island (75.0%), Massachusetts (73.5%) and Connecticut (73.3%) are fully vaccinated. So do Californians need to worry about this new variant? Its more contagious and more resistant to existing immunity than any of it coronavirus predecessors. The Bay Area native is a graduate of UC Berkeley and started at the Los Angeles Times in 2004. A traveler arrives inside Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in Los Angeles on Monday. Activated: Up to 75 more Maine National Guard members to support hospitals amid COVID surge. Yes, there are breakthrough cases people who have been vaccinated and still gotten COVID but when they occur, vaccinated patients generally experience milder symptoms. Get the booster. The bivalent vaccines also broaden the immune response, which is expected to improve protection against future variants and extend the strength of protection. The latest case rate represents a 12% decrease from the prior week. I was just getting over the jitters from the Delta variant when along comes Omicron. A pharmacist prepares to administer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots during an event hosted by the Chicago Department of Public Health at the Southwest Senior Center on Sept. 09, 2022 in Chicago. (Jill Connelly / Bloomberg via Getty Images), Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. But much remains unknown how or if XBB.1.5 may affect disease severity or whether generally waning immunity from vaccines or a previous brush with the coronavirus will leave the population more exposed to infection. Vaccines are especially good in preventing severe disease that may cause hospitalization. How long before I had symptoms was I possibly contagious with omicron? However, in individuals who are older and unboosted, or immunocompromised with weakened or absent immune experience, it will potentially cause serious disease and deaths.. Officials this season also havent had to deal with the late emergence of a dramatically different variant as they did with the initial version of Omicron in the autumn of 2021, which rapidly spread over the Thanksgiving and then the winter holidays. Do I really need to know if I had COVID-19 if its not causing serious illness? It is still unclear whether the variant will become dominant in the U.S. in the coming few weeks, the agency said. That represents a 57% . XBB.1.5 is the most transmissible subvariant that has been detected yet, said Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organizations technical lead on COVID-19. Health officials also have expressed optimism about the lower numbers of COVID-19 deaths reported this fall and winter. COVID XBB.1.5 variant spreads in California. The. Learn more about the difference between quarantine and isolation. In November 2022, 10% of 169,971 cases in California were sequenced, and this percent is expected to increase in coming weeks as more sequence data becomes available. Weekly reported COVID-19 deaths which lag case rate trends also are increasing again after a brief dip between Christmas and New Years Day. Numerous variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 are being tracked in the United States and globally during this pandemic. Its since been detected in 29 countries, according to the WHO, including Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. This California farm kingdom holds a key, Im afraid for her life: Riverside CC womens coach harassed after Title IX suit, Six people, including mother and baby, killed in Tulare County; drug cartel suspected, New Bay Area maps show hidden flood risk from sea level rise and groundwater, These are the 101 best restaurants in Los Angeles, Who would execute a baby? COVID-19 will no doubt still be a major topic of discussion, but I believe and hope that with the right efforts this will be the year the public health emergency officially ends, he said. As a result, last week 373 COVID patients were in Maine hospitals, with 118 of them in critical care and 60 on ventilators. Telehealth video visits and Express Care are also available. The California Department of Public Health noted that more than two thirds of the states residents are fully vaccinated. CDC is working with state and local public health officials to monitor the spread of all variants. Bay Area businesses are gearing up for the new COVID variant, Omicron. The newest Omicron subvariant of concern is XBB.1.5. However, if you were in a situation where people were outside, masked and distanced, the risk of infection is much lower. Not for now, Chin-Hong said. You might be COVID-lucky, but your luck can still run out. Other variants become common and circulate for a long time. Its an mRNA vaccine that targets the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and another component found in both the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 strains. We are concerned about its growth advantage, in particular in some countries in Europe and in North America, particularly the Northeast part of the United States where XBB.1.5 has rapidly replaced other circulating variants, she said during a news conference last week. Infection and vaccination 1,000 cases are sequenced a 6 % decrease from the prior.... 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