Coronavirus: Orange County Reports 2 More Deaths, 78 New Cases
SANTA ANA (CBSLA) — Orange County health officials reported two additional coronavirus-related deaths Thursday, bringing the death toll to 36.
The county also reported 78 new cases of COVID-19, increasing the total number to 1,827.
The number of hospitalized patients dropped from 162 on Wednesday to 158, with the number of intensive care patients also dropping, from 70 to 59.
Overall, there have been 170 coronavirus cases in the county's nursing homes, with 102 residents diagnosed with COVID-19 and 68 staffers falling ill to the virus.
At Anaheim Healthcare Center on Beach Boulevard, two patients have died and nearly four dozen others, including facility staff members, have tested positive.
At Huntington Valley Healthcare Center in Huntington Beach, many others tested positive for COVID-19.
As of Wednesday, the center had a total of 72 cases, including 48 patients, 24 staff. There have been two deaths, both men in their late 70's.
At the Anaheim Skilled Nursing Facility, 35 patients have tested positive as well as 14 staff members. There have been 2 deaths there.
The county has tested 20,816 people and has enough kits to collect 2,292 more samples. Public and private labs have performed 671 tests since Tuesday.
Of the county's total cases, 33 involve people under 18 years old; 141, are between 18-24; 296, are between 25-34; 262, are between 35-44; 708, are between 45-64, and 385, are 65 or older.
Of the deaths, six percent were 25 to 34 years old, six percent were 35 to 44, 31 percent were 45 to 64, and 58 percent were 65 or older, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. Of the deaths, 31 percent were Asian, 25 percent were Latino, 28 percent were white, six percent were black, eight percent were unknown, and three percent were categorized as "other."
Also Thursday, a top Orange County public health official abruptly resigned. On Monday, David Souleles informed county CEO Frank Kim and the Health Care Agency's interim director, Bob Wilson, that he was retiring. In a resignation letter, he said his last day would be May 1.
Orange County's chief health officer, Dr. Nichole Quick, said earlier this week that health officials believe that the "statewide stay-at-home order has been effective.''
The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to require face coverings for employees who interact with the public during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)