Orange County Reports Five More COVID-19 Deaths

SANTA ANA (CNS) - Orange County's count of coronavirus cases stands at 2819 today, with 57 fatalities.

The county announced 89 new cases and five new deaths on Monday, and also reported that the number of patients hospitalized declined from 187 on Sunday to 169, and the number of patients in intensive care dipped from 58 to 52.

The total number of people in the county tested for the virus increased to 37,050, with 237 new tests reported on Monday. Men make up 54% of the county's cases and 60% of its fatalities.

Of the county's total cases, 2% involve people under 18 years old; 9% are between 18-24; 18% are between 25-34; 15% are between 35-44; 18% are between 45-54; 16% are between 55-64; 10% are between 65-74; 6% are between 75- 84; and 4% are 85 and older.

Of the patients who died, 4% were 25 to 34 years old, 5% were 35 to 44, 9%, were 45-54, 14% were 55-64, 16% were 65-74, 33% were 75-84, and 19% were 85 or older.

Whites account for 32% of the fatalities and Latinos 32%, followed by Asians (25%). According to the Orange County Health Care Agency, 5% were black, 2% were native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 2% were unknown, and 4% fall into the category of “other.”

Santa Ana's case count was listed at 519 on Sunday, but 405 on Monday, possibly because county officials removed a number of COVID-19 cases in the county jails.

Anaheim has 420 cases, followed by Huntington Beach at 230, Irvine at 137, and Orange at 128. Those are among the biggest cities in the county.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department reported Monday that 219 inmates have cumulatively tested positive for COVID-19, with 220 other tests coming back negative. Officials are awaiting results of 20 other tests.

In all, the county has administered 459 tests to inmates, and 27 have recovered. Three sheriff's deputies who were infected have also fully recovered.

Authorities kept a close eye this past weekend on the county's beaches, after a judge rejected bids by Dana Point and Huntington Beach officials to lift Gov. Gavin Newsom's temporary closure order.

Newsom announced today that San Clemente and Laguna Beach have received permission to reopen their beaches. Both cities' shorelines will be open for active use only, not for sunbathing or other passive uses, with Laguna Beach only opening its beaches for such use 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on weekdays.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors, which oversees most of Dana Point's beaches along with the state, will discuss an active-use plan on Tuesday, but it is unclear if the board will approve or reject the plan.

In another development on Monday, Newport Beach City Councilman Kevin Muldoon on his own filed a federal lawsuit challenging the governor's beach closure order.

Thousands of people in Newport Beach and hundreds in San Clemente took to the shore on Sunday afternoon, as lifeguards and police repeatedly sent beachgoers packing, pointing out they were in violation of the governor's order.

Lifeguards in Newport Beach asked about 2,700 people to vacate the beaches during a sweep conducted from the Newport Pier to the Santa Ana riverbed, said city spokesman John Pope. In all, an estimated 4,500 people were counted at seven miles of beach from the Santa Ana River to Corona del Mar, Newport Beach Fire Chief Jeff Boyles told the Orange County Register.

“The majority of beachgoers complied and exited after being told via PA systems, helicopters, boats and police and lifeguards on the sand,” Boyles said.

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