Orange County coronavirus numbers parallel Italy, professors say

Local coronavirus data reported in coming days will be crucial in determining if Orange County is on the same path as Italy in the spread of the virus and its impact on local hospitals, according to two UC Irvine professors studying confirmed cases of COVID-19. In their analysis, based on the number of case counts per 1 million people, colleagues Dominik Wodarz [professor of public health], who studies the dynamics of infectious diseases, and Natalia Komarova, a math professor, put Orange County about 20 days behind the date when Italy’s hospital system became overwhelmed by the number of COVID-19 cases in that country.