As of Monday, 37 more people tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Orange County, bringing the total to 464, officials announced during a news conference Monday. The death count remained at four, according to the O.C. Health Agency.
Nine individuals in county jails have been isolated for showing coronavirus symptoms, Sheriff-Coroner Don Barnes said at the briefing, and five out of the nine have tested positive.
An additional 150 inmates, who are not showing symptoms, have been quarantined due to possible exposure, according to Barnes.
Another 130 people were released from county jails early, either for being among the most vulnerable population, or for being near the end of their sentence anyway, officials said.
Those who are released must meet certain criteria, Barnes assured, adding that there has not been an increase in crime related to the early releases.
County hospitals are currently operating at low capacity because they have reduced elective procedures to make the maximum number of beds available in anticipation of a surge of COVID-19 patients, officials said.
Anaheim, Irvine and Newport Beach currently have the highest number of cases in O.C., the county’s new city-by-city data of diagnosed cases shows.
The breakdown initially only specified figures for cities and areas with more than 25,000 residents, but as of Monday, cities with fewer residents would be added to the site once five or more people test positive.
The county released the data breakdown on Friday, saying that the figures show where those with coronavirus live, and not necessarily where they contracted it.
“City numbers should not be interpreted as where transmission is geographically focused or not,” O.C. Director of Public Health David Souleles said at a Friday news conference. “COVID-19 transmission is a risk countywide.”
The county is also working to get hospitalization data posted on their website in coming days, officials said at the Monday briefing.
O.C. is seeking donations to support various low-income and dependent residents including foster children and seniors, according to the O.C. Emergency Operations Center.
