Coronavirus: Orange County Considers Order On Face Coverings, Reports 2 More Deaths
SANTA ANA (CBSLA) — Orange County officials reported another 91 cases of the novel coronavirus Wednesday and two more virus-related deaths as officials awaited guidance from the chief health officer about mandatory face coverings for public-facing non-medical essential employees.
The county now has 1,016 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 17 deaths, though the county reported some good news. The number of hospitalized patients dropped from 129 on Tuesday to 99 on Wednesday and the number of patients in intensive care decreased from 75 to 59.
Of the county's cases, 12 were people under the age of 18, 88 were between the ages of 18-24, 164 were between the ages of 25-34, 148 are between the ages of 35-44, 408 were between the ages of 45-64 and 196 are 65 or older. Men made up 52% of the county's reported cases.
Officials said 11,791 people have been tested for COVID-19 in the county and there are 1,637 more tests available.
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David Souleles, deputy director of the Orange County Health Care Agency, said at Tuesday's board of supervisor's meeting that the county's chief health officer was planning to issue an advisory recommendation on face coverings for store clerks, though he said it would still require an order from the board to make the recommendation mandatory and enforceable.
A motion to require clerks working in the food industry failed Tuesday after failing to garner a second.
"None of us are doctors and the public health officer is telling us what she believes is an appropriate order at this time," Supervisor Don Wagner said. "We would be unwise to get away from that procedure."
Dr. Nichole Quick, chief health officer for the county, was said to be still weighing the issue Wednesday.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)