Coronavirus updates: SLO County adds 11 ventilators, overnight parking lots

San Luis Obispo County had 99 confirmed coronavirus cases as of Tuesday, but the county is not yet in the clear.

As the county puts the finishing touches on the first phase of its alternate care site at the Cal Poly Recreation Center, officials say the number of local COVID-19 cases has yet to reach its peak.

To get a more accurate picture of how many cases are in San Luis Obispo County, public health officer Dr. Penny Borenstein is asking more people to get tested.

Meanwhile, the county is planning on restricting more parking lots over the weekend.

Here are your local updates for Tuesday:

4 more cases confirmed, bringing SLO County total to 99

San Luis Obispo County added four new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, raising the total to 99. The rise in cases comes after a day where no new cases were reported — which happened twice since Saturday.

The majority of the county’s COVID-19 patients — 71 people — have completely recovered from the virus.

Twenty-four patients are recovering at home, and three patients have been hospitalized, all of whom are in the intensive care unit.

One county patient has died from COVID-19.

Resident at SLO senior living facility tests positive

A resident in an apartment building for low-income seniors in San Luis Obispo is one of the 99 people countywide to have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the nonprofit that runs the facility.

HumanGood announced on its website in late March that a positive case was identified in Judson Terrace Lodge. The facility had not reported any spread to other seniors or staff as of Tuesday.

SLO County adds new safe parking locations

San Luis Obispo County has opened two overnight parking locations for homeless individuals so they can meet basic needs and keep a safe distance from others while coronavirus cases state-wide continue to rise, according to a news release.

The so-called “safe parking” lots include the Coastal Dunes RV Park & Campground in Oceano and the San Luis Obispo Veterans Memorial Hall. An overnight parking location at the Los Osos Library parking lot at 2075 Palisades Ave. remains open.

The sites are open from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily and include bathrooms and hot showers, the release said.

If no vehicles arrive by 10 p.m., the lots will be closed.

SLO County adds 11 more ventilators

San Luis Obispo County added 11 more ventilators to their supply, bringing their current total up to 71 ventilators across the four local hospitals.

According to a Facebook post by Supervisor Lynn Compton, the county found 11 transport ventilators and converted them for in-hospital use. The county is also expecting 25 ventilators ordered in early March to arrive by April 13.

SLO County urges more people to get tested for coronavirus

The public health department is now asking all San Luis Obispo County residents with coronavirus-like symptoms to get tested.

The number of new coronavirus cases in San Luis Obispo County has slowed in the past few days, resulting in two days with no new cases. County public health officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said it is likely due to a lack of testing.

The most common COVID-19 symptoms are a fever, cough and shortness of breath, but Borenstein said the county is now asking providers to test people with symptoms such as sore throat, fatigue, body aches, chills, diarrhea and, in some cases, a runny nose.

Parking restricted at local lakes

The shelter-at-home order allows for people to use open spaces, so long as they follow social distancing guidelines and remain six feet apart from others.

However, county officials have continued to close open spaces or restrict parking because people are not abiding by those guidelines.

County Supervisor Lynn Compton announced on Monday that the county will restrict parking at Santa Margarita Lake and Lopez Lake near Arroyo Grande on Easter Sunday to discourage too many people from visiting at once.

SLO County COVID-19 outbreak hasn’t reached peak

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams warned on Sunday that the coming week would be America’s “Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment” in the coronavirus pandemic — and San Luis Obispo County’s Public Health officer agreed that we could see COVID-19 cases escalate over the next two to three weeks.

Borenstein said that it’s very difficult to know when the local peak will come, but health officials will be watching closely over the next two to three weeks.

According to Borenstein, all models so far suggest that San Luis Obispo County would have seen more coronavirus cases by now. But she said she believes a lack of testing and missing data from private labs is contributing to the discrepancy in the county’s models and reported cases.

Local bakery gives free bread amid coronavirus pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has hurt businesses across the globe, and Back Porch Bakery in San Luis Obispo and Atascadero was no exception. Rather than close, however, it decided to stay open and give away bread for free.

Just before 7 a.m. every morning a line forms to get fresh bread while it is still hot. Usually within an hour-and-a-half of opening, their bread and supplies are gone for the day.

This story was originally published April 7, 2020 at 10:47 AM.