COVID-19 numbers show progress

MOST CORONAVIRUS numbers declined again in Orange County on Friday (Shutterstock).

Three of four major metrics tracing the status of the battle against the coronavirus pandemic in Orange County showed improvement on Friday.

According to the county health care agency, confirmed new cases dropped from 25 on Thursday to 24 on Friday. Hospitalizations ticked down from 60 to 59 and patients being treated for COVID-19 in intensive care units went from 16 to 13. Deaths rose from two to three, both historically low numbers.

To date, coronavirus cases in the OC are at 255,371, of which 249,245 are considered recovered. Deaths are at 5,073.

Nationally, The New York Times is reporting – based on a 14-day average – that new cases are down 48 percent and that deaths have dropped by 28 percent. In California, the Los Angeles Times’ estimate is a decline of 31 percent statewide in new cases and a 23 percent reduction in deaths.