LOS ANGELES—COVID-19 hospitalizations in Los Angeles County fell below the 1,000 mark Wednesday for the first time since late July, continuing a steady decline from a summer peak of nearly 1,800 in mid-August. According to state figures, there were 991 COVID-positive patients in Los Angeles County hospitals as of Wednesday, a drop from 1,018 on Tuesday. There were 305 patients in intensive care, down from 312 a day ago. The number of COVID-positive hospital patients in Los Angeles County has dropped for nine consecutive days and 22 of the past 23 days. The county reported on Tuesday another 32 COVID-19 deaths. Those deaths lifted the county’s overall pandemic death toll to 25,870. The county Department of Public Health also reported another 1,238 infections on Tuesday, for a cumulative pandemic total of 1,446,348. The rolling average daily rate of people testing positive for the virus in the county was 1.4 percent …