Coronavirus Recoveries Up, Over 400K Tested In Orange County
ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Orange County health officials Friday reported 14 more residents have perished this week of coronavirus, and 418 more residents have tested positive for the virus.
Thus far, in Orange County 36,196 residents have tested positive for coronavirus since the pandemic began. The death toll has reached 618.
Out of Orange County's 3.2 million residents, a total of 409,265 tests have been given and an estimated 20,000 people have recovered, according to the health care agency.
As of Friday, there are 593 patients hospitalized due to the COVID-19 disease, caused by coronavirus. On Friday, the number of patients in intensive care ticked up from 189 to 191.
Since Sunday, the county has reported 56 coronavirus-related deaths. Last week, the county reported 70 deaths, down from 73 the week before.
Five of Friday's reported fatalities were skilled nursing facility residents and four were assisted living facility residents.
Of the total deaths, 263 were skilled nursing facility residents, 26 lived in assisted living facilities, and one was homeless. Of the total cases, 1,674 were skilled nursing facility residents, 476 were jail inmates and 136 were homeless.
There are 57 jail inmates in medical isolation with COVID-19 and officials are awaiting the results of 45 tests. So far, 419 inmates have recovered from coronavirus.
In Orange County, here is a cumulative city by city count for coronavirus cases as of Friday:
Aliso Viejo - 270 Total Cases
Anaheim - 6191 Total Cases
Brea - 347 Total Cases
Buena Park - 1008 Total Cases
Costa Mesa - 1184 Total Cases
Coto de Caza - 25 Total Cases
Cypress - 389 Total Cases
Dana Point - 182 Total Cases
Fountain Valley - 356 Total Cases
Fullerton - 1667 Total Cases
Garden Grove - 1928 Total Cases
Huntington Beach - 1668 Total Cases
Irvine - 1174 Total Cases
La Habra - 870 Total Cases
La Palma - 118 Total Cases
Ladera Ranch - 118 Total Cases
Laguna Beach - 133 Total Cases
Laguna Hills - 216 Total Cases
Laguna Niguel - 283 Total Cases
Laguna Woods - 39 Total Cases
Lake Forest - 598 Total Cases
Los Alamitos - 147 Total Cases
Midway City - 69 Total Cases
Mission Viejo - 576 Total Cases
Newport Beach - 820 Total Cases
Orange - 1666 Total Cases
Placentia - 651 Total Cases
Rancho Mission Viejo - 46 Total Cases
Rancho Santa Margarita - 243 Total Cases
Rossmoor - 29 Total Cases
San Clemente - 325 Total Cases
San Juan Capistrano - 265 Total Cases
Santa Ana - 6832 Total Cases
Seal Beach - 213 Total Cases
Silverado - 39 Total Cases
Stanton - 419 Total Cases
Trabuco Canyon - 150 Total Cases
Tustin - 852 Total Cases
Villa Park - 40 Total Cases
Westminster - 662 Total Cases
Yorba Linda - 489 Total Cases
Orange County is on the state's watch list for counties experiencing high rates of new cases and hospitalizations. It has shown some improvement, but with some continuing concerns.
The county's case rate per 100,000 residents dropped from 149.5 on Thursday to 140, which is still far higher than the California Department of Public Health threshold of 25 per 100,000 residents. The rate of residents testing positive for COVID-19 dropped from 11.7% to 9.3%, still above the state's desired rate of 8%.
The change in the three-day average of hospitalized patients went from -8.6% Thursday to -8.9%, much lower than the state's threshold of 10% increase.
Available ICU beds dropped from 38% Thursday to 34%, and the percentage of ventilators available decreased 57% to 56%. The state's threshold is 20% of ICU beds available to handle a surge and 25% ventilators on hand.
Dr. Clayton Chau, HCA director and interim chief health officer, said there have been "intermittent issues" with the state's data system, so the number of tests conducted by the county was actually reduced in Thursday's report by 1,337 because of duplicates.
As area school officials map out a return to education next month, the health care agency provided a breakdown on the number of coronavirus cases among various age groups of children.
The HCA reported that 348 children up to 3 years old have been infected; with 434 cases among children 4 to 9 years old; 338 among children 10 to 12; 319 among teens 13 and 14; and 1,167 among 15- to 18-year-olds.
Children's Hospital Orange County is seeing an increase in children testing positive, the OC Register reports. As has UCI Family Health Center in Santa Ana and Anaheim.
In other coronavirus-related developments, county officials reported they have launched a second round of funding for the Orange County Workforce Development Board's "Layoff Aversion Support Program." Small businesses can apply for up to $10,000 in grants to help get through the pandemic and avoid layoffs, as well as implementing social distancing guidelines.
In May, officials doled out about $444,000, leaving $256,000 for another round of grants. To learn more and to apply, go to oconestop.com/covid- 19-layoff-aversion-program.
Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett on Friday announced that her district handed out $14.5 million in funding from the federal government earmarked to help small businesses and nonprofits.
Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner has awarded $500,000 to help out nonprofit arts organizations in his district.
Grants of $10,000 were made available by Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do for the 1st District. The one-time grant was available for small businesses, nonprofit organizations and independent contractors in Orange County's First District negatively impacted by COVID-19.
"Many family-owned businesses, nonprofits, and the self-employed, are experiencing financial uncertainties due to the pandemic and the economic ripples it's caused," Do said. "The goal of this grant program is to provide a relief to help keep small businesses in our community open."
Full coronavirus coverage: Coronavirus In California: What To Know
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City News Service, Patch Editor Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on the Orange County Patch
