NEW CORONAVIRUS cases in Orange County appear ro be leveling out (Shutterstock)

The trend of confirmed new cases of coronavirus in Orange County appear to be leveling off.

Tuesday’s report from the county health care agency covering a four-day stretch showed 4,576 new cases, which is an average of 1,144 per day.

 That compares to last Friday’s average of 1,176 cases and the week-ago figure of 1,105.

Among the four major statistic categories measuring the impact of COVID-19 in the county, only one showed an increase.     

Deaths fell from 11 a week ago to eight on Friday and six today (Tuesday). The use of intensive care units to treat coronavirus cases is at 35, down from Friday’s 50 and 45 a week ago.

Hospitalizations, however, have risen. Tuesday’s report shows the total at 341, up from 315 in Friday’s report and 298 a week ago.

To date, Orange County has had 633,223 cases, of which 596,795 are considered recovered. The death total is at 7,195.

Across the nation, the trend of new cases, deaths and hospitalizations are up. According to The New York Times – over a 14-day period – new cases are up 10 percent, deaths have risen 34 percent and hospitalizations have risen 12 percent.

In California, new cases are down 12 percent and deaths up by 17 percent, according to Los Angeles Times over a similar period.