SANTA ANA, Calif.—Orange County’s COVID-19 hospitalizations continued to decrease Oct. 7, while nine more fatalities were logged, all occurring last month, to send the death toll near triple figures for September, according to the latest data. Hospitalizations dropped from 224 on Wednesday to 220 on Thursday, with the number of intensive care patients declining from 60 to 54, health officials said. The county has 25.5 percent of its intensive care unit beds available and 68 percent of its ventilators, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA). The overall test positivity rate in the county is at 2.9 percent and the case rate is 7.6 per 100,000 residents, according to Orange County CEO Frank Kim. That compares with a positivity rate of 3 percent and case rate of 8.7 a week ago, Kim said. “We’re through the surge, but everyone’s concern now is what happens when the holiday season …