NEW CASES of coronavirus in Orange County fell on Tuesday but remained at a high level (Shutterstock).

Confirmed new cases of coronavirus in Orange County declined Tuesday from Monday’s high, but hospitalizations and ICU use continued to rise.

According to the county health care agency, new cases declined to 5,081 from Monday’s three-day average of 7,648 and were also below Friday’s 6,428.

Deaths rose from two to three. The number of hospitalizations increased from 964 to 1,013 and the use of intensive care units to treat COVID-19 patients climbed from 140 to 150.

To date, Orange County has had 402,886 cases, of which 313,335 are considered recovered. The total of deaths is now 5,911.

The OC’s surge in new cases – fueled in large part by the Omicron variant – is mirrored by other statistics. The New York Times reports a 204 percent increase in new cases over a two-week period, and a 36 percent increase in deaths. In California, cases are up 346 percent and deaths are up 64 percent.