By NewsDesk  @bactiman63

The total number of COVID-19 cases reported in Los Angeles County for the two day span of Dec. 25 and 26 totaled nearly 30,000, according to the LA County Health Department.

Transmission electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles isolated from a patient. Image captured and color-enhanced at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Maryland.
Image/NIAID

Officials confirmed 142 new deaths and 29,464 new cases of confirmed COVID-19. The numbers today reflect 13,185 cases reported today and 15,538 cases from yesterday along with 131 deaths Friday and 5 deaths reported Saturday.

6,770 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, and 20% of these people are in the ICU, health officials said Saturday.

This comes a couple of days a health alert was issued due to hospitals and the 9-1-1 system are experiencing an extreme surge of patients.

Health officials advised: During this surge, everyone should stay at home, in additional to other “public health measures” except to provide or receive essential services, avoid all non-essential travel, get tested if you have symptoms or an exposure, and isolate immediately from your family and others if you have symptoms or test positive for COVID-19.

To date, LA Public Health has identified 706,448 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 9,438 deaths.