Three more COVID-19 deaths were reported by health officials, increasing the death toll in Orange County to six in two days and 25 overall.
There were 51 new cases of the coronavirus reported Thursday by Orange County Health Care Agency officials, increasing the total to 1,425.
The number of hospitalized patients jumped from 104 on Wednesday to 138 on Thursday, and the number of those in intensive care increased from 45 to 68, Orange County Health Care Agency officials said.
“Despite the fluctuation of cases we see… the number of hospitalizations remains comparatively low,” Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel said. “We are seeing stabilization of cases in this area.”
The number of people tested for COVID-19 in the county stands at 15,942, with enough kits for 2,856 more specimens. Since Wednesday, 637 more people were tested.
Of the county’s total cases, 2%, or 25, involve people under 18 years old; 8%, or 114, are between 18-24; 16%, or 234, are between 25-34; 14%, or 206, are between 35-44; 40%, or 569, are between 45-64, and 19%, or 277,are 65 or older. Men make up 53% of the county’s cases, and 56% of its fatalities.
Of the deaths, two were 25 to 34 years old, one was 35 to 44, 10 were 45 to 64, and 12 were 65 or older. Of the fatalities, nine were Asian, five were white, eight were Latino, one was black and two were not classified.
Anaheim has the most COVID-19 cases in the county with 162, followed by Santa Ana with 142 and Irvine with 106. Huntington Beach has 97 while Newport Beach has 90.
Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine and Huntington Beach are Orange County’s four largest cities.
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said calls for service are down 36% since Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a stay-at-home order March 19. That’s partly owed to new protocols to handle more requests for help over the phone instead of in person, he said.
However, domestic violence calls jumped up by 25%, family dispute calls by 24% and child custody disputes by 30%, Barnes said.
The number of Orange County Jail inmates testing positive for COVID-19 increased to 17, Barnes said.
Twenty-four inmates are in medical isolation, meaning they have symptoms related to coronavirus or have tested positive for COVID-19. Thirteen of those inmates have tested positive and one test is pending, Barnes said.
Four inmates have fully recovered, Barnes said. None of the inmates had to be hospitalized, he said.
The jails have 375 inmates in quarantine because they have either had contact with someone with coronavirus or are among the 96 who have been newly booked, Barnes said. The sheriff quarantines all newly booked inmates for seven days, Barnes said.
Three deputies have tested positive with one who has fully recovered and returned to work, one close to returning to work and the third with mild to moderate symptoms, Barnes said.
Nine Orange County Fire Authority firefighters have tested positive for COVID-19 with eight recovered and back to work, said OCFA Capt. Steve Concialdi.