Coronavirus death toll rises to 71 in Orange County
Another five people have died from the coronavirus in Orange County, bringing the county’s total death toll to 71, health officials announced Friday.
Since last Friday, the county has confirmed 21 new deaths linked to COVID-19.
Sixteen of the 71 total victims were residents of nursing facilities, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. Those facilities, whose elderly residents tend to be particularly at risk, continue to be hot spots of coronavirus activity throughout the state.
Of those who have died from the coronavirus in Orange County, 49 have been at least 65 years old, and 37 have been at least 75.
The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
Still, Orange County’s observed mortality rate associated with COVID-19 is about 2.2% — well below the statewide rate of roughly 4%.
Orange County health officials reported another 153 coronavirus infections Friday, the second-highest one-day total since the outbreak began.
The latest cumulative case count of 3,240 includes 316 at nursing facilities and 251 in the county jail system.
As of the latest update, 188 patients were hospitalized countywide and 74 of them were in intensive care. Both those figures have stayed relatively flat over the past week, though they vary from day to day depending on when and how many hospitals report their data.
Orange County continues to confirm more coronavirus cases. Here’s the latest community breakdown.
To date, 46,372 COVID-19 tests have been conducted countywide — including 812 that were reported Friday.
Effective Wednesday, “counts of Orange County COVID-19 tests performed replaced the count of people tested,” according to the Health Care Agency.
“This change more accurately reflects testing conducted by Public Health, clinical and commercial labs,” officials wrote on the county’s data portal.
Despite continued coronavirus activity throughout the state, California allowed more retailers and other venues to reopen Friday.
Orange County’s beaches — which Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered closed last week because of crowding concerns — are also back open in a limited capacity for what’s shaping up to be a picture-postcard sque weekend.
Many Orange County beaches have reopened following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s brief “hard closure,” but their hours vary.
Newsom said earlier this week that bookstores, music stores, toy stores, florists, sporting goods stores, clothing stores and others can reopen for curbside pickup — unless local restrictions forbid it.
Some businesses, though, have taken things a step further. One, Nomads Canteen in San Clemente, has recently offered dine-in service despite the state’s prohibition.
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