(TNS) - Dec. 20—Orange County logged another single-day record on Sunday, Dec. 20, for new reported cases of the coronavirus as a winter surge spreads through its communities and packs local hospitals.

The additional 4,606 cases reported Sunday by the OC Health Care Agency in its daily update put the cumulative total since tracking began at 124,428 people testing positive for the virus.

Some 1,682 people needed hospitalization as of Sunday, 375 of them in intensive care units.

About 12% capacity remains in Orange County ICUs, Sunday's update said; when officials adjust that number to reflect the stress COVID-19 patients are putting on the health care system, they peg capacity at basically 0%.

Southern California falling below 15% capacity two weeks ago is what triggered the regional stay-at-home orders that have limited capacity in many businesses, restricted restaurants to take-out only, shuttered some sectors and required places of worship to hold services outdoors or online.

Emergency rooms continue to be inundated with people seeking care, leading to wait times for ambulances looking to transfer in patients that were averaging about 24 minutes as of Friday, but in many cases are taking nearly an hour.

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