Los Angeles, Dec 24 (IANS): Los Angeles County, the most populous in the US, has once again reported the highest number of single-day coronavirus cases and deaths, along with hospitalisations.

On Wednesday, the county's Department of Public Health confirmed 16,525 new cases and 145 additional fatalities, pushing its cumulative caseload and death toll to 663,954 and 9,153, respectively, Xinhua news agency reported.

There are 6,155 infected patients currently hospitalised across the county, with 20 per cent in the intensive care unit, said the Department.

Public health officials said that more than 38,800 frontline healthcare workers have been vaccinated at acute care hospitals as of Tuesday night.

"Tragically, we are on our way to witnessing 10,000 deaths from Covid-19 and our hospitals overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients.

"Every day, more than 14,000 additional people become intimately aware of the easy spread of this virus because they test positive for Covid-19," said Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer in the release.

"We are in the middle of a horrific surge and we all need to take the hard steps, the wise steps, to reduce transmissions and exposure now, during the holidays, and as we begin 2021," she noted, urging people to delay travel plans and gather only with members of their household in winter holidays.

"The sooner we all take these vitally important steps, the sooner we can stop the surge in cases that is overwhelming our hospital care system," she added.

As of Thursday, California, one of the hardest-hit states in the US, has reported a total of 1,964,076 coronavirus cases and 23,284 deaths.