COVID-19 cases continue to trend downward as O.C. moves closer to next tier for reopening

Orange County may soon move to the next tier if it is able to maintain its current daily case count for every 100,000 residents and its testing positivity rate below the thresholds for the state.

The Orange County Health Care Agency on Thursday reported 84 new cases, adding to a cumulative total of 52,622 cases since the agency began tracking data earlier this year. This does not include new numbers for antigen positive cases, which are at 1,401.

Six new deaths were also reported Thursday, bringing the county death toll to 1,182. About 168 cases are currently hospitalized, 42 of which are in intensive care units.

About 47,513 are estimated to have recovered.

The county’s current seven-day average for daily case counts per every 100,000 residents is 3.6 and the seven-day average for the testing positivity rate is 3.1%. Both are well within the thresholds to move the county to the third, “moderate� tier per state guidelines, which are defined as between 1 to 3.9 and 2 to 4.9%, respectively.

Orange County moved into the second, “widespread� tier on Sept. 8.

The county will need to remain in its current tier for at least another week before it will be eligible to move to the next tier of “moderate� risk. By moving to the next tier, it would allow for more businesses in Orange County to reopen indoor operations with modifications.

“If everything goes well, one week from tomorrow we might be entering the orange tier,� said Dr. Clayton Chau, the Orange County Health Care Agency director, in a media briefing Monday.

Here are the latest cumulative coronavirus case counts and COVID-19 deaths for select cities in Orange County:

• Santa Ana: 10,164 cases; 271 deaths
• Anaheim: 8,992 cases; 254 deaths
• Huntington Beach: 2,374 cases; 71 deaths
• Costa Mesa: 1,790 cases; 29 deaths
• Irvine: 1,641 cases; 12 deaths
• Newport Beach: 1,111 cases; 23 deaths
• Fountain Valley: 503 cases; 16 deaths
• Laguna Beach: 214 cases; fewer than five deaths

Here are the case counts by age group, followed by deaths:

• 0 to 17: 3,694 cases; one death
• 18 to 24: 7,920 cases; four deaths
• 25 to 34: 11,363 cases; 17 deaths
• 35 to 44: 8,418 cases; 32 deaths
• 45 to 54: 8,502 cases; 103 deaths
• 55 to 64: 6,318 cases; 170 deaths
• 65 to 74: 3,148 cases; 241 deaths
• 75 to 84: 1,793 cases; 252 deaths
• 85 and older: 1,437 cases; 362 deaths

Updated figures are posted daily at occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/coronavirus-in-oc. For information on getting tested, visit occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/covid-19-testing.

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