The_AT0 number_NN1 of_PRF people_NN0 hospitalized_VVN with_PRP COVID-19_NN1 in_PRP Los_NP0 Angeles_NP0 County_NN1 has_VHZ dropped_VVN below_PRP 1_CRD ,_PUN 000_CRD for_PRP the_AT0 first_ORD time_NN1 in_PRP two_CRD months_NN2 —_PUN underscoring_VVG the_AT0 region_NN1 's_POS slow_AJ0 but_CJC steady_AJ0 progress_NN1 in_PRP turning_VVG the_AT0 tide_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 latest_AJS coronavirus_NN1 surge_NN1 ._SENT On_PRP Tuesday_NP0 ,_PUN 991_CRD coronavirus-positive_AJ0 patients_NN2 were_VBD receiving_VVG hospital_NN1 care_NN1 countywide_AV0 ._SENT That_DT0 's_VBZ down_AVP about_PRP 40_CRD %_NN0 from_PRP the_AT0 start_NN1 of_PRF September_NP0 ,_PUN state_NN1 data_NN0 show_NN1 ._SENT In_PRP mid-August_NP0 —_PUN the_AT0 height_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 current_AJ0 Delta-variant-fueled_AJ0 wave_NN1 —_PUN nearly_AV0 1_CRD ,_PUN 800_CRD people_NN0 countywide_AJ0 were_VBD hospitalized_VVN with_PRP COVID-19_NN1 on_PRP some_DT0 days_NN2 ._SENT The_AT0 region_NN1 has_VHZ also_AV0 seen_VVN a_AT0 significant_AJ0 decline_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 number_NN1 of_PRF people_NN0 ill_AJ0 enough_AV0 to_TO0 require_VVI intensive_AJ0 care_NN1 ._SENT As_CJS of_PRF Tuesday_NP0 ,_PUN 305_CRD patients_NN2 were_VBD in_PRP intensive_AJ0 care_NN1 units_NN2 throughout_PRP the_AT0 county_NN1 ,_PUN a_AT0 31_CRD %_NN0 drop_NN1 since_PRP the_AT0 beginning_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 month_NN1 ._SENT California_NP0 How_AVQ California_NP0 turned_VVD the_AT0 tide_NN1 and_CJC achieved_VVD the_AT0 lowest_AJS coronavirus_NN1 transmission_NN1 rate_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 U.S._NP0 While_CJS California_NP0 has_VHZ not_XX0 reinstituted_VVN sweeping_AJ0 restrictions_NN2 ,_PUN the_AT0 state_NN1 and_CJC many_DT0 local_AJ0 health_NN1 departments_NN2 have_VHB taken_VVN steps_NN2 to_TO0 tackle_VVI the_AT0 Delta_NN1 variant_NN1 ._SENT Sept._NP0 21_CRD ,_PUN 2021_CRD California_NP0 's_POS most_AV0 populous_AJ0 county_NN1 both_AV0 reflects_VVZ and_CJC dictates_VVZ the_AT0 pandemic_AJ0 's_POS statewide_AJ0 trajectory_NN1 ._SENT Statewide_AV0 ,_PUN 5_CRD ,_PUN 986_CRD coronavirus-positive_AJ0 patients_NN2 were_VBD hospitalized_VVN Tuesday_NP0 ,_PUN a_AT0 28_CRD %_NN0 drop_NN1 since_PRP the_AT0 start_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 month_NN1 ._SENT But_CJC that_DT0 top-level_AJ0 trend_NN1 is_VBZ not_XX0 reality_NN1 in_PRP every_AT0 corner_NN1 of_PRF California_NP0 ._SENT Some_DT0 hospitals_NN2 in_PRP the_AT0 state_NN1 's_POS Central_AJ0 Valley_NN1 continue_VVB to_TO0 be_VBI deluged_VVN with_PRP COVID-19_AJ0 patients_NN2 ._SENT Health_NN1 officials_NN2 have_VHB reported_VVN that_CJT some_DT0 critically_AV0 ill_AJ0 people_NN0 have_VHB had_VHN to_TO0 wait_VVI days_NN2 to_TO0 be_VBI transferred_VVN into_PRP the_AT0 intensive_AJ0 care_NN1 unit_NN1 from_PRP the_AT0 emergency_NN1 room_NN1 ._SENT And_CJC some_DT0 facilities_NN2 in_PRP Fresno_NP0 County_NN1 have_VHB been_VBN perilously_AV0 close_AJ0 to_PRP having_VHG to_TO0 ration_VVI healthcare_NN1 because_CJS of_PRF limited_AJ0 resources_NN2 and_CJC personnel_NN2 ._SENT Throughout_PRP the_AT0 wider_AJC San_NP0 Joaquin_NP0 Valley_NN1 —_PUN which_DTQ the_AT0 state_NN1 defines_VVZ as_PRP Calaveras_NP0 ,_PUN Fresno_NP0 ,_PUN Kern_NP0 ,_PUN Kings_NP0 ,_PUN Madera_NP0 ,_PUN Mariposa_NP0 ,_PUN Merced_NP0 ,_PUN San_NP0 Benito_NP0 ,_PUN San_NP0 Joaquin_NP0 ,_PUN Stanislaus_NP0 ,_PUN Tulare_NN1 and_CJC Tuolumne_NN1 counties_NN2 —_PUN hospitals_NN2 have_VHB reported_VVN having_VHG fewer_DT0 than_CJS 10_CRD %_NN0 of_PRF their_DPS cumulative_AJ0 staffed_AJ0 adult_NN1 ICU_NN1 beds_NN2 available_AJ0 for_PRP 22_CRD straight_AJ0 days_NN2 ._SENT "_PUQ We_PNP 're_VBB still_AV0 just_AV0 right_AV0 there_AV0 where_CJS we_PNP 're_VBB looking_VVG at_PRP things_NN2 on_PRP a_AT0 day-by-day_AJ0 ,_PUN and_CJC even_AV0 hour-by-hour_AJ0 ,_PUN basis_NN1 to_TO0 see_VVI how_AVQ we_PNP can_VM0 match_VVI the_AT0 resources_NN2 with_PRP the_AT0 needs_NN2 ,_PUN "_PUQ Fresno_NP0 County_NN1 interim_AJ0 health_NN1 officer_NN1 Dr._NP0 Rais_NP0 Vohra_NP0 said_VVD at_PRP a_AT0 news_NN1 conference_NN1 last_ORD week_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 four_CRD other_AJ0 state-outlined_AJ0 regions_NN2 —_PUN Northern_NP0 California_NP0 ,_PUN the_AT0 Bay_NN1 Area_NN1 ,_PUN Greater_NP0 Sacramento_NP0 and_CJC Southern_AJ0 California_NP0 —_PUN all_DT0 had_VHD at_PRP least_AV0 15.8_CRD %_NN0 of_PRF their_DPS staffed_AJ0 adult_NN1 ICU_NN1 beds_NN2 available_AJ0 as_CJS of_PRF Tuesday_NP0 ._SENT California_NP0 Critically_AV0 ill_AJ0 COVID-19_AJ0 patients_NN2 waiting_VVG days_NN2 for_PRP ICU_NN1 beds_NN2 in_PRP Central_AJ0 California_NP0 One_CRD Fresno_NP0 area_NN1 hospital_NN1 had_VHD nine_CRD critically_AV0 ill_AJ0 patients_NN2 who_PNQ were_VBD n't_XX0 able_AJ0 to_TO0 get_VVI into_PRP the_AT0 intensive_AJ0 care_NN1 unit_NN1 for_PRP more_AV0 than_CJS three_CRD days_NN2 ._SENT 
