Connecting COVID cases in California and the LA spike

A summer wave devastates agricultural areas

From May onwards, per capita cases skyrocketed in the rural farming communities of San Joaquin Valley and along the border in Imperial County.

It was hit hard by low-income essential workers, many of whom worked in the fields and lived in overcrowded homes.

In July, Imperial County’s two hospitals were overwhelmed. Hundreds of patients had to be transported elsewhere for treatment. To date, one in seven residents in the county has tested positive. More than 500 have died.

The spread in the Central Valley of the state was not limited to the fields. Outbreaks have been reported in state prisons across the state.

By the end of July, the virus had spread to the most remote areas of California. Then the first cases were reported in Modoc County, near the Oregon border. All 58 counties of the state had registered a case of the coronavirus.

As the summer wave faded, Newsom introduced a color-coded system that allowed some counties to reopen in September and October.

Cases triple if virus overwhelms the state

The delay was short-lived. The last weeks of October saw a slight rise in the number of cases in the state, soon followed by an unprecedented rise.

Experts say pandemic fatigue and the feeling that the threat was over played a role. On Thanksgiving, a record number of people traveled for the first time since spring. It soon became clear that an influx of new coronavirus patients would cause a crisis in California hospitals.

The virus was on the rise in cities, prisons and some of the most isolated communities.

On Nov. 13, 292 days after that late press release was issued by Orange County officials, the state surpassed 1 million coronavirus cases.

State officials announced a curfew. Thirty-one counties saw record highs in new daily cases before Thanksgiving. A new region-controlled stay-at-home order has come into effect. On Christmas Eve, the state hit a total of 2 million cases, doubling in just 41 days.

Just 30 days later, the state surpassed a total of three million cases. At least one in 13 Californians had tested positive.

Vaccines arrive when the wave subsides

Hope came at the end of December. The first COVID-19 vaccinations were rolled out to health professionals and nursing home residents. The daily number of cases started to decline in January.

The state’s vaccination campaign was shaky at best, characterized by missed targets, limited supplies, and difficulties reporting data.

Still, vaccination centers have opened statewide, including mass distribution sites at Dodger Stadium and Disneyland. On January 25, the remaining stay-at-home orders were canceled.

A year after the onset of the crisis, Southern California – particularly Los Angeles – once again has the highest concentration of cases. To date, one in nine LA County residents has tested positive.

Experts warn there still remains a possibility for another wave.

A mutant, more contagious variant of the virus is rapidly spreading across the US, and officials are voicing concerns about Super Bowl parties and reckless gatherings in open-air restaurants.

The Times Rong-Gong Lin II staff writer contributed to this story. Ryan Menezes and Ryan Murphy provided additional programming.