Coronavirus updates: 7 test positive at care facility, SLO County adds 20 cases
As of Wednesday, San Luis Obispo County has had 376 confirmed cases of coronavirus since mid-March.
Seven of the recent cases were traced back to a San Luis Obispo care facility. And in Santa Maria, five residents of a care facility have died.
As businesses reopen, the city of San Luis Obispo is closing down streets to allow for more outdoor dining.
Here are your coronavirus updates for Wednesday.
SLO County adds 20 COVID-19 cases
San Luis Obispo County experienced its largest single-day COVID-19 increase on Wednesday, adding 20 new cases, according to ReadySLO.org. A total of 376 local residents have now tested positive for COVID-19 since March.
The county also reported its highest number of active cases yet on Wednesday, breaking its record for a third day in a row, with 75 active cases — 15 more than the 60 reported Tuesday.
Prior to Wednesday, the highest single-day increase was 14 new COVID-19 cases, reported on both June 13 and April 24.
Four of the 20 new cases are in Paso Robles, two are in Atascadero and two are in Templeton.
Nipomo, Grover Beach, and San Luis Obispo each added three cases. And one new case was reported in Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach and areas with less than five cases.
7 test positive for coronavirus in SLO County care facility
San Luis Obispo County health officials have confirmed an outbreak of coronavirus at Vista Rosa Assisted Living in San Luis Obispo.
According to a county news release Tuesday night, the Public Health Department was contacted Monday when a staff member and resident at the elderly care facility tested positive for COVID-19.
County Public Health then tested more than 40 people connected to the facility, including residents and staff, and discovered seven people who tested positive. Four staff members and three residents were confirmed to have the virus.
Santa Maria skilled nursing facility reports 5 COVID-19 deaths
Five residents in a Santa Maria skilled nursing facility have died from COVID-19, and dozens of others have tested positive in the outbreak, Santa Barbara County Public Health Director Van Do-Reynoso said Tuesday.
Two of the deaths had apparently previously been reported, without mentioning the care center, and Do-Reynoso told the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors that three additional residents at Country Oaks Care Center died on Monday.
There have been 37 total cases reported at the Santa Maria facility, including 13 staff members and 24 residents, Do-Reynoso said.
With the report of three deaths on Tuesday, there have been 22 COVID-19 deaths reported in Santa Barbara County, including eight in Santa Maria, four in Lompoc, four among Lompoc federal correctional complex inmates, one in unincorporated North County, two in Santa Barbara, two in Goleta, and one reported in the unincorporated Goleta Valley and Gaviota Coast.
SLO is closing downtown streets to make space for outdoor dining
Beginning on Thursday, the city of San Luis Obispo will close some public streets, sidewalks and plaza areas to make space for outdoor dining and retail in an effort to help businesses who faced with coronavirus-related closures.
The San Luis Obispo City Council approved the new Open SLO pilot program in May.
Segments of Monterey and Higuera streets will be temporarily closed to car traffic, allowing restaurants and retail shops to use the street areas adjacent to their stores with a city-issued permit.
Mission Plaza and Monterey Street from Chorro to Osos streets will close to car traffic starting Thursday and will close weekly on Thursday and Friday evenings from 5 to 8 p.m. and on weekends from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
SLO County won’t limit outdoor protest, church services capacity
Outdoor activities protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, including religious services and protests, are no longer limited in capacity due to COVID-19, according to new guidelines released by the California State Health Department.
Instead, strict physical distancing is expected at any gathering protected by the Constitution, according to a county news release. Indoor activities will still be limited to 25% capacity or 100 people.
The change in guidelines was released after houses of worship and some businesses were allowed to reopen at limited capacity and following protests relating to the death of George Floyd.
This story was originally published June 17, 2020 at 11:11 AM.
