Nursing home losses mount as Orange County COVID-19 deaths near 200

The Orange County-wide death toll from the disease caused by the pandemic coronavirus is now 198 with 92 coming from skilled nursing facilities, continuing a steady pattern of the most medically fragile, and generally elderly, patients being more likely to succumb.

Nursing home cases account for just more than 10% of all known COVID-19 patients but close to half of all related deaths, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency’s Wednesday update. Specifically, skilled nursing facilities now account for 833 of the 7,737 known COVID-19 cases countywide, but with 92 related deaths, the nursing home coronavirus fatality rate is 11%. That compares to about 1.5% among the general population not living in nursing homes.

In keeping with the typical nursing home population, more than half of COVID-19-related deaths have been among people 75 and up; close to a third have been 85 and older. By age range, all patients who have died to date were:

• 85 and up: 62
• 75 to 84: 50
• 65 to 74: 38
• 55 to 64: 23
• 45 to 54: 15
• 35 to 44: 7
• 34 and younger: 3

The number of nursing homes with “outbreaks,” defined as at least two resident diagnoses within 14 days, was at 27 facilities as of June 4, the most recent date available. Orange County has 71 skilled nursing homes, according to a state database.

Nursing home deaths accelerated last month, with 29 COVID-19-associated deaths reported from May 19-23. At least 16 Orange County nursing homes, including two in Huntington Beach, have now recorded patient COVID-19 deaths throughout the pandemic, according to the state registry.

Overall, the county healthcare agency reported 147 new COVID-19 infections Wednesday and 1,564 additional tests over Tuesday. This brings Orange County to 7,737 known cases of the coronavirus and 168,158 total tests given. Daily updates are preliminary and subject to change as the county receives new information.

Reported hospitalizations were at 306 with 146 in intensive care.

Estimated total recoveries increased to 3,511.

Here are the latest case counts for select cities, with numbers per 10,000 residents:

• Santa Ana: 1,648 (48.8 cases per 10,000 residents)
• Anaheim: 1,429 (39.8 cases per 10,000 residents)
• Huntington Beach: 399 (19.6 cases per 10,000 residents)
• Irvine: 223 (8 cases per 10,000 residents)
• Newport Beach: 163 (18.7 cases per 10,000 residents)
• Costa Mesa: 156 (13.5 cases per 10,000 residents)
• Fountain Valley: 72 (12.7 cases per 10,000 residents)
• Laguna Beach: 49 (21 cases per 10,000 residents)

Updated figures are posted daily at occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/coronavirus-in-oc.

For information on getting tested, visit occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/covid-19-testing.

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