Orange County Mourns 4,000 Coronavirus Deaths As Rates Decline

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — A grim milestone was reached Thursday, as Orange County's coronavirus death toll surpassed the 4,000 residents lost due to COVID-19.

On Thursday, 47 more fatalities were reported, raising the death toll to 4,013.

Of the deaths reported on Thursday, six were skilled nursing facility residents and seven were assisted living facility residents.

Also on Thursday, 160 more residents tested positive for COVID-19, a relatively low number compared with the post-holiday surge. The cumulative case total to 247,140.

Hospitalization rates have dropped to 379 patients being treated in county medical centers and only 97 are in intensive care.

The county has 30.8% of its intensive care unit beds and 66% of its ventilators available.

The county reported 15,146 tests, raising the cumulative total to 3,079,965.

Orange County CEO Frank Kim spoke on the hopefulness of those tallies.

"Our daily numbers are positive, so I'm hoping that next week when the state runs its weekly tier listing that we're in the red," Kim said.

Dr. Clayton Chau, the county's chief health officer and director of the Orange County Health Care Agency, expects the county to graduate up to the red tier by March 17, St. Patrick's Day.

The state's new program to focus more on vaccinating Californians in disadvantaged communities may help accelerate the county's move into the red tier, Kim said.

Orange County Health Care has vaccinated 225,161 residents with their first dose of vaccine, and another 509,136 have received their second dose. The Othena app, which manages the vaccine appointments for county residents who sign up for the service, had not updated its totals from Wednesday as of this report.

The county did close the Disneyland super Point of Dispensing facility to add a drive-thru service. Meanwhile, the vaccination centers run by the county were still in operation at Soka University, the Anaheim Convention Center, and the Santa Ana College.

The state has 1.6 million inoculated in its Health Equity Quartile category and is aiming to get that number to two million.

"We should hit two million in HQI in a couple of days," said Orange County Supervisor Lisa Bartlett. "With all that coming together, we'll progress very quickly into the red tier."

As of Thursday, the county is at seven cases per 100,000, which is right at the bottom of the most-restrictive purple tier.

"Between now and Sunday, I would expect that number to keep on a downward path, but nothing is assured," Kim said.

The overall positivity rate was at 3.5 as of Thursday, and the Health Equity Quartile positivity rate at 4.5, "the lowest number we've had since we started measuring equity," Kim said.

Testing demand has declined, which could indicate fewer infections, he said. But Kim encouraged anyone feeling under the weather to get a test.