COVID-19 Positive Cases Increase In Manhattan Beach 1st Week Nov.

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — In one week, the number of positive tests for COVID-19 in Manhattan Beach have gone up from 424 on Friday, Oct. 30 to 437 today [Friday, Nov. 6], according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, for an increase of 13. Manhattan Beach had been averaging about a 1.2% per day. The new count puts the average at 1.8% per day.

County statistics show that 821 people with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized and 29% of those hospitalized are in the ICU.

The coronavirus is also impacting when and how schools can reopen in LA County. Yesterday, the Manhattan Beach Unified School District released word of the approval of its TK-2 waiver for reopening schools for hybrid learning. In his most recent Monday Morning Message via email, MBUSD Superintendent Mike Matthews, addressing positive COVID-19 cases in MBUSD, wrote,

"COVID Cases To Date: MBUSD re-opened to students on September 16 when we began our child care program. We then added our athletic training program on September 29, and our High Need Hybrid the week of October 12. Since that time, we have had four (4) cases of on campus students or staff who tested positive for COVID. In three of those cases, there was interaction with other students or staff that necessitated a 14-day quarantine (the procedures are described in our health and safety protocols document) for all of those who were potentially exposed. We followed up with all of the quarantined individuals, and, to date, there are no cases where the positive case resulted in a transmission to others. We are in the process of creating a COVID Dashboard that keeps track of all of the cases by site, and I hope to be able to share that with you next week."

Public Health advises, "As the holiday season approaches and COVID-19 spread is increasing, it is critically important that everyone follow the simple public health safety measures that provide protection from COVID-19 and minimizes spreading it to friends and family. There is a high level of risk associated with gatherings of any kind, especially when people are inside, and not keeping physical distance of at least 6 feet and wearing face coverings. Because COVID-19 spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets, face coverings combined with other preventive measures, such as frequent hand-washing and physical distancing, provides the best protection. If you are planning to get together with others, it is important that your plan follows the Public Health safety guidance on small private gatherings; this includes gathering outdoors only, with up to two other households, for less than two hours."