NEW CORONAVIRUS CASES and deaths in Orange County are declining again (Shutterstock).

Confirmed new coronavirus cases in Orange County were are 148 in Monday’s report from the county health care agency. But since that’s a three-day total, the daily average was 49.3, down from Friday’s 171.

Deaths were at four in today’s report, a daily average of 1.3. That compares to three on Friday.

Hospitalizations are at 95, down from 129. The number of patients being treated for COVID-19 in intensive care unit declined from 24 to 20.

Since the pandemic began, Orange County has recorded 546,444 coronavirus cases, of which 536,103 are considered recovered. The total of deaths is at 6,864.

Nationally, The New York Times reports that new cases – over a 14-day period – are down by 12 percent and deaths down by 39 percent. Los Angeles Times calculates that in California new cases are down 8 percent and deaths down by 41 percent.

To our readers: The Orange County Health Care Agency is making a change in the schedule on which it reports coronavirus statistics. Going forward, the OCHCA will report Friday case counts on the following Monday, and will report case counts for Saturday, Sunday and Monday on Tuesday.