Health & Fitness
OC Coronavirus Community Transmission On The Rise
As more residents are hospitalized, & businesses reopen across the county, the need for facemasks, social distancing was reiterated, Monday.
ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Orange County Health Care Agency reported an additioan 113 newly confirmed cases of coronavirus, Monday and no deaths, though
The number of hospitalized patients have fallen to 291, the number of patients in intensive care rose to 135, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.
The number of people tested for the virus in the county stands at 161,547 with 3,326 documented recoveries.
Find out what's happening in Orange Countyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
On Monday, an additional 1,111 tests were reported.
Men account for 51 percent of the county's COVID-19 cases and 56 percent of its deaths.
Find out what's happening in Orange Countyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Santa Ana leads all county cities with 1,464 cases, followed by Anaheim with 1,311. Many of the cases in both cities are tied to long-term nursing care facilities.
The HCA has reported outbreaks at 26 skilled nursing homes, three assisted living facilities and two care homes. An outbreak is defined as having at least two coronavirus cases.
HCA Assistant Director Lilly Simmering said Thursday the agency is boosting testing capacity in institutional settings and is "increasing the number of staff working at skilled nursing home facilities."
The agency also continues to work with UC Irvine on a "training curriculum" with skilled nursing home facility staff "to ensure that their facilities are hygienic and doing proper precautions for COVID-19," she said.
In Orange County's senior care facilities, 802 residents have tested postive for coronavirus, and 85 of those have died, according to Orange County Health Care officials. In Orange County''s jails, 381 inmates have tested positive for coronavirus with 367 now recovered. Fourteen inmates are currently sick and in medical isolation. Sheriff's officials are awaiting tests on 84 inmates.
The county's chief health officer, Dr. Nichole Quick, was "coming from a perspective of the medicine and the science" of masks as a preventive measure when she handed down the order, Simmering said.
Quick told the Board of Supervisors one week ago that there has been a rise in "community transmission" of the coronavirus since stay-at-home orders have been relaxed, and hospitalization rates "have been trending up."
In Orange County, here are Monday's coronavirus totals by city:
- Aliso Viejo: 32
- Anaheim: 1,331
- Brea: 49
- Buena Park:
- Costa Mesa: 211
- Coto de Caza : 7 (unchanged)
- Cypress: 79
- Dana Point: 35
- Fountain Valley: 70 (unchanged)
- Fullerton: 253
- Garden Grove: 420
- Huntington Beach: 369
- Irvine: 224
- La Habra: 136
- La Palma: 25 (unchanged)
- Ladera Ranch: 18
- Laguna Beach: 47
- Laguna Hills: 36
- Laguna Niguel: 42
- Laguna Woods: 10 (unchanged)
- Lake Forest: 81
- Los Alamitos: 86 (unchanged)
- Midway City: 21
- Mission Viejo: 79
- Newport Beach: 160
- Orange: 330
- Placentia: 145
- Rancho Mission Viejo: 9 (unchanged)
- Rancho Santa Margarita: 25 (unchanged)
- San Clemente: 71
- San Juan Capistrano: 62
- Santa Ana: 1,448
- Seal Beach: 28
- Stanton: 91
- Trabuco Canyon: 19
- Tustin: 132
- Villa Park: 8 (unchanged)
- Westminster: 171
- Yorba Linda: 94
- Other* 388
- Unknown** 490
According to OC Health Care, the "Other" category includes the aggregate case count of the unincorporated areas of the county that have less than 5 cases, plus cases incarcerated in Orange County jails.
Large group gatherings, such as protests across Orange County, led OC CEO Frank Kim to tell reporters that officials are concerned that widespread protests against police brutality will boost coronavirus cases.
"We're always concerned when we see a large group gathering," Kim said.
Officials respect the rights of protesters to speak out, but implore the activists to follow social distancing guidelines of keeping six feet apart and wearing face coverings, Kim said.
Simmering echoed the importance of face coverings. She said county officials appreciate the objections of some residents, but the practice has helped stem the spread of coronavirus in other countries.
If the county's hospitalization rates improve, then county officials will consider lifting the requirement, Simmering said. "It is not for your individual protection. It is to protect others... from potentially contracting COVID-19 if you do not know you have it."
Full coronavirus coverage: Coronavirus In California: What To Know
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City News Service, Patch Editor Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.
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