ORANGE COUNTY statistics for coronavirus showed 92 new cases on Wednesday (Shutterstock).

The count of confirmed new coronavirus cases in Orange County took a sharp drop on Wednesday, but – as with Tuesday’s big increase – the number comes with an asterisk.

According to the county health care agency, the total today was 92, compared to 872 for Tuesday. But since yesterday’s number was for a 30-hour cycle, today’s was for 18 hours, perhaps indicating less of a decline, just as Tuesday’s cycle may have exaggerated it.

Deaths remained at zero, but hospitalizations rose from 333 to 375 and the number of patients being treated in intensive care units increased from 62 to 68.

To date, there have been 267,131 cases reported in Orange County, of which 252,067 are judged to be recovered. Deaths are at 5,143.

On the national level, new cases are up 139 percent over a 14-day period, according to The New York Times. Deaths have risen 49 percent.

In California – over a similar period – cases are up 115 percent and deaths have risen by 73 percent.