COVID Cases, Hospitalizations Continue Upward Trend In OC
SANTA ANA (CBSLA) — Orange County reported another 1,351 COVID-19 infections Monday while the number of people hospitalized with the virus continued to rise.
The new infections raised the county's caseload to 262,071. Officials also reported one more COVID-related death raising the death toll to 5,139.
As of Monday, there were 194 people hospitalized in the county due to COVID, up from 156 Friday. There were 48 people in intensive care, up from 44 on Friday.
According to the latest weekly averages released last Tuesday, Orange County's average daily case rate per 100,000 residents increased from 2.6 to 4.9 in a one-week period, and the test positivity rate jumped up from 1.8% to 3.3%.
The county's Health Equity Quartile rate, which measures the disadvantaged communities hardest hit by the pandemic, increased from 1.9% to 3.4%.
According to the Orange County Health Care Agency, the most dominant variants in the county in recent weeks have been the Delta, Alpha and Gamma variants. Delta and Alpha are considered much more highly contagious, with Delta now considered the most dominant strain statewide.
As of Thursday, the county reported that 1,876,853 residents were fully vaccinated.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)