NEW CONFIRMED cases in Orange County declined in Thursday’ report (Shutterstock).

The up-and-down nature of the numbers tracking the state of the coronavirus in Orange County continued in Thursday’s report.

According to the county health care agency, confirmed new cases fell from 646 on Wednesday to 437. Deaths increased from four to seven, and the count of patients being treated for COVID-19 declined from 149 to 143. Hospitalizations fell from 534 to 521.

To date, Orange County has had 286,536 cases of which 265,973 are considered to be recovered. The death total is at 5,236.

On the national level, The New York Times is reporting that new cases – over a 14-day period – are up 18 percent, and deaths by 75 percent.  In California, the Los Angeles Times is calculating that new cases have risen 18 percent over a similar period and deaths by 67 percent.