Health & Fitness
Orange County Stays Off Watchlist For 2nd Day, What That Means
No deaths were reported Monday on Orange County's second day off the state of California's list as schools look to returning to class.
ORANGE COUNTY, CA — For the second day in a row, Orange County has remained off the state of California's radar, officials from Orange County Heath Care Agency reported.
Countywide, 353 residents received new coronavirus diagnoses, raising the cumulative case total to 46,307 since the pandemic began. No coronavirus-related deaths were reported, Monday.
In order for Orange County schools to begin the reopening process, the county must stay off the watch list for 15 days, they reported. Officials say that all "key metrics" are moving "in the right direction," according to the agency.
Find out what's happening in Orange Countyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is "encouraged" by progress in Orange County, as well as San Diego and San Francisco, all three newly removed from the close monitoring of the state.
"Progress is being made across the spectrum on hospital ICUs and positivity rates," Newsom said. That progress will ultimately translate to getting kids back into the classroom, as soon as it is safe to do so.
Find out what's happening in Orange Countyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The decision to reopen schools would still be left to individual districts. Orange County officials say 24 elementary schools have already been approved to reopen, including six in the Los Alamitos Unified School District.
Even with the excitement of reopening, there are some who are concerned with sending children back to the classrooms, Dr. Clayton Chau, the county's interim chief health officer and director of the Orange County Health Care Agency, said. If you are truly concerned, the county "encourages" such parents to continue online learning, "especially children who are at a higher risk."
The county will provide tests for staff and students and a "full medical team" that includes pediatricians, while infectious disease experts from Children's Hospital of Orange County and UC Irvine "will be standing by to assist when needed," Chau said.
Wednesday, Aug. 19 was the first day the county fell below the state's monitoring thresholds, Chau said.
Read: Which Orange County Elementary Schools Received COVID Waivers
Currently, the rate of county residents testing positive for COVID-19 is 5.4 percent below the state's required 8 percent threshold.
Both hospitalizations and intensive care patients raised slightly Sunday, the agency says.
On Sunday, 380 were hospitalized across the county due to COVID-19 symptoms. Intensive care patients rose from 111 Sunday to 116 on Monday, they said. Those numbers are still lower than the majority of cases hospitalized one week ago, according to OC Health Care. The change in 3-day average of hospitalized patients is 4.6 percent, far lower than the state's 10 percent standard.
Orange County continues to be on the right side of the numbers in case rate per 100,000 residents. Those numbers now sit at 85.1, far higher than California Department of Public Health's desired 25 per 100,000.
In the county, almost 600,000 COVID-19 tests have been given, including an additional 3,305 on Monday.
Since the virus began, approximately 38,000 Orange County residents have recovered from the virus.
Cumulative totals for coronavirus across Orange County Cities are as follows:
Aliso Viejo - 323 Total Cases
Anaheim - 7927 Total Cases
Brea - 426 Total Cases
Buena Park - 1326 Total Cases
Costa Mesa - 1556 Total Cases
Coto de Caza - 33 Total Cases
Cypress - 479 Total Cases
Dana Point - 227 Total Cases
Fountain Valley - 448 Total Cases
Fullerton - 2087 Total Cases
Garden Grove - 2521 Total Cases
Huntington Beach - 2067 Total Cases
Irvine - 1397 Total Cases
La Habra - 1208 Total Cases
La Palma - 140 Total Cases
Ladera Ranch - 148 Total Cases
Laguna Beach - 167 Total Cases
Laguna Hills - 273 Total Cases
Laguna Niguel - 349 Total Cases
Laguna Woods - 50 Total Cases
Lake Forest - 736 Total Cases
Los Alamitos - 145 Total Cases
Midway City - 107 Total Cases
Mission Viejo - 687 Total Cases
Newport Beach - 996 Total Cases
Orange - 2116 Total Cases
Placentia - 804 Total Cases
Rancho Mission Viejo - 55 Total Cases
Rancho Santa Margarita - 287 Total Cases
Rossmoor - 56 Total Cases
San Clemente - 410 Total Cases
San Juan Capistrano - 397 Total Cases
Santa Ana - 9010 Total Cases
Seal Beach - 248 Total Cases
Silverado - 43 Total Cases
Stanton - 580 Total Cases
Trabuco Canyon - 168 Total Cases
Tustin - 1104 Total Cases
Villa Park - 46 Total Cases
Westminster - 885 Total Cases
Yorba Linda - 608 Total Cases
With the restrictions relaxing on the school front, this could be positive news for other businesses that have been closed, according to Chau.
"It is possible various business sectors that are shut down for commerce indoors may be allowed to return to normal," Chau said. County officials are expecting "new guidance" from the state this week.
Full coronavirus coverage: Coronavirus In California: What To Know
What business, school or personal care service are you most looking forward to reopening? Let us know in comments or by emailing your Patch Editor.
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