CORONAVIRUS statistics in Orange County, California and the nation are showing some encouraging trends (Shutterstock).

Some potentially encouraging signs are emerging in the battle against the latest surge in the coronavirus, locally as well as across the state and nation.

According to the Orange County Health Care Agency, Tuesday’s tally of confirmed new cases is at 1,651. But since that’s four days of data, it averages out to 413, slightly below Friday’s 414 and well below Thursday’s 437 and last Wednesday’s 646.

Hospitalizations went from 500 to 466 and the number of people being treated for COVID-19 in intensive care units declined from 138 to 128. Deaths over the four-day period total 20.

To date, Orange County has had 288,601 cases, of which 269,579 have been declared recovered. Deaths are at 5,270.

At the national level, The New York Times is reporting that – over a 14-day period – new cases have declined by 12 percent, although deaths are up 31 percent. In California, the Los Angeles Times’ statistics have new cases down 11 percent over a similar period, and deaths up 51 percent.