ICU use plunges; cases are up

Are you an optimist or a pessimist?

With Friday’s coronavirus report from the Orange County Health Care Agency, you have your choice.

The OCHCA’s statistics show new confirmed cases rose to 43, up from 33 the day before. But deaths dropped from two to one, and hospitalizations fell from 54 to 50.

The biggest change was in the number of patients being treated for COVID-19 in intensive care units, which declined almost by half, from 13 to eight.

To date, the sum of all OC cases is at 255,771, of which 249,743 are considered recovered. Deaths are at 5,102.

Nationally, new cases are down by 21 percent over the last two weeks, according to The New York Times. Deaths have fallen 20 percent. Statewide, cases are down 41 percent in California, according to the Los Angeles Times. Deaths have decreased by 48 percent.