Orange County COVID-19 hospitalizations fell for the third consecutive day and fourth time in five days, according to data recently released by the Orange County Health Care Agency.
Hospitalizations declined from 126 on Sunday to 125 on Monday, the latest data available, while the number of intensive care unit patients increased one to 25.
The last time hospitalizations were this low was in mid-July before the Delta variant-fueled summer surge. Of those hospitalized, 84% are unvaccinated and 86% percent in intensive care are not inoculated.
The county also reported 121 new cases, upping the cumulative to 545,908. The county also logged three new fatalities, increasing the cumulative death toll to 6,846.
Of the deaths logged, one occurred in March, increasing this month’s death toll to 21. Two fatalities occurred in February, boosting its death toll to 293.
The case rate per 100,000 people declined from 4.0 Monday to 3.7 Tuesday. The testing positivity rate ticked down from 2% to 1.9% and declined from 2.5% to 2.3% in the health equity quartile, which measures underserved communities hardest hit by the pandemic.
The county had 34.3% of its ICU beds available and 68% of its ventilators. Local health officials become concerned when the level of ICU beds falls below 20%.
Starting Wednesday, uninsured residents won’t be able to go to their local pharmacy or other healthcare providers to get a free shot or COVID-19 test.
However, Dr. Clayton Chau, the Orange County Health Care Agency director, told Orange County supervisors at their meeting Tuesday that county-supported clinics and partners such as Latino Health Access will continue providing tests and shots for no cost for the time being.
Chau said the agency could continue doing so for six months to a year as its prepares for the anticipated fourth dose.
“Our plan is to continue and to provide the testing and vaccination for individuals — obviously there’s a cost attached to that,” Chau said.
“My team is working on a budget line item to submit to the CEO and CFO, but it’s kind of difficult to make a prediction how much money we would need to continue to support the testing and vaccination for individuals who are not insured.”
Residents who are covered by Caloptima, the county’s insurance agency for the needy, may still get shots and tests for no cost.
Orange County CEO Frank Kim said there is some federal funding for COVID-19 programs available, and the county is expecting another $308 million in May or June.