Covid-19 infections on the rise in Los Angeles and across the state

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reports seeing a very slight increase in Covid-19 cases.

Departmental statistics from May 10 to 15, the most recent data available, show an average of 82 to 92 COVID-19 cases per day, an increase from early spring.

There were an average of 60 to 80 new cases per day between March 25 and May 9, Los Angeles County health officials said. The case count does not include at-home testing or infections among people who do not get tested.

Statistics show coronavirus concentrations in wastewater are increasing across the state.

The trend comes as the latest family of coronavirus subvariants, collectively dubbed FLiRT, have made significant gains nationwide.

“Concentrations of COVID-19 in wastewater suggest an increase in several areas of California since early May. Test positivity for COVID-19 has been slowly increasing since May,” the state Department of Public Health said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times on Friday.

“It is too early to say whether this very slight increase in recent days will turn into a lasting increase. This number of cases is low, making it difficult to assess true trends at this time,” the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said.

Coronavirus levels in Los Angeles County wastewater remain relatively stable, at 9% of last winter’s peak.