SANTA ANA (CNS) - Orange County health officials have reported 560 more cases of COVID-19 and one additional death, raising the death toll to 493 and cumulative case load to 29,986, amid a spike in hospitalizations.

The county has 666 patients hospitalized as of Monday afternoon, with 213 in intensive care units, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. On Sunday, there were 665 hospitalized and 214 in intensive care.


What You Need To Know

  • OC health officials reported 560 new cases, one additional death Monday

  • Cumulative case count for county now at 29,986, deaths at 493

  • Of total deaths, 232 were in skilled nursing facilities

  • OC remains on state's watch list for counties with high numbers of cases

Of the total deaths, 232 were skilled nursing facility residents and 17 were assisted living facility residents

The county has administered 359,900 coronavirus tests and documented 14,366 recoveries, the HCA reported.

In the county's jails, 439 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19, with 396 having recovered and 43 in medical isolation being treated for symptoms. The county is awaiting the results of 141 tests.

Orange County is on the state's watch list for counties experiencing high rates of new cases and hospitalizations. It has shown some improvement, but with some continuing concerns.

The county's case rate per 100,000 residents dropped down from 230.5 on Sunday to 192, but is still far higher than the California Department of Public Health threshold of 25 per 100,000 residents. The rate of residents testing positive for COVID-19 dipped slightly from 13.7 percent to 13.2 percent, which is higher than the state's desired rate of 8 percent.

The change in three-day average of hospitalized patients dropped from - 1.1 percent, to -4.3 percent, lower than the state's threshold of 10 percent.

The county's intensive care unit beds available rose from 36.2 percent to 41 percent, but the percent of ventilators available dipped from 64.5 percent to 61.5 percent. The state's threshold is 20 percent of ICU beds available to handle a surge and 25 percent ventilators on hand.