SLO County adds 59 coronavirus cases over the weekend, community spread increases
San Luis Obispo County added 59 new cases of coronavirus over the weekend, bringing the total number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 since March to 567, according to ReadySLO.org.
Thirteen new cases were reported Saturday, 29 were reported Sunday and 17 on Monday. Sunday broke the record of highest single-day increase in cases.
Monday recorded the highest number of hospitalized patients since mid-March with 14 patients and the highest number of patients in the intensive care unit with 6 in the ICU, according to the county.
As of Monday, San Luis Obispo County has 162 active cases —which is the highest number of active cases and 35 more active cases than Friday.
The spike in cases is largely attributed to community spread according to the county, including among people who reported going to bars since they have reopened.
According to county data, 18 of the new cases were acquired through community spread, 10 were from person to person contact and six were travel related. The route of transmission for the additional 25 new cases has not been determined.
Thirty-seven of the 59 new cases are age 18 to 49, 20 are over the age of 50 and two are minors.
Four of the hospitalized patients, including one who is in an intensive care unit, are in their 30s or 40s, the county reported.
“We’ve heard a misconception that this disease doesn’t affect young people and that is simply not true,” Public Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said in a news release. . “While the risk increases with age, younger adults in our community are still at risk. Stay home if you’re sick, avoid large gatherings, stay six feet away from others in public, and wear a face covering in public if you can.”
San Luis Obispo added the highest number of cases with 20 new COVID-19 cases. Nipomo followed with 15 new cases.
Atascadero added six cases, San Miguel added four, Paso Robles added three, Arroyo Grande added three and Los Osos added two. Both Grover Beach and Templeton added one case since Friday.
Oceano has eight cases as of Monday and is no longer listed as “other.”
SLO County’s COVID-19 cases by the numbers
A majority of San Luis Obispo County residents who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 — 404 — have completely recovered from the illness, with 23 new recoveries reported since Friday.
A total of 148 people are still recovering at home. Fourteen patients, are receiving hospital treatment. Six patients are in intensive care units.
One local resident has died from COVID-19.
The Paso Robles area continues to have the most COVID-19 cases in the county with 153.
Followed by San Luis Obispo, which has 84 cases, and Nipomo with 82. Atascadero has 71 and Arroyo Grande is at 43 cases total.
Templeton has 22 cases, Cambria has five, and the California Men’s Colony has reported 11.
Pismo Beach has 15 cases and Grover Beach has 16. Morro Bay has 10, San Miguel has 13, Los Osos has nine, and Shandon has five.
As of Monday, Oceano has eight cases and is no longer categorized as “other.”
Other areas — defined as cities or communities with fewer than five cases — have 19 cases altogether. And one case is listed as unknown.
In total, 117 cases involve people ages 50 to 64, 75 cases involve people age 65 to 84, and 12 are people over the age of 85 years old.
There are 157 residents aged 30 to 49 who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 and 151 residents aged 18 to 29 year’s old. The remaining 55 cases involve people age 17 and younger.
In total, the county has determined 69 patients acquired the virus through travel, 254 acquired it through person-to-person contact and 192 contracted it through community spread.
The county has not determined the route of transmission for 52 cases.
San Luis Obispo County public and private health labs have conducted at least 21,611 test. Between Friday and Monday, 2,018 tests were conducted. The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Lab has conducted 5,056 tests with 129 positive results.
Private health labs, which began reporting their negative test results April 13, have conducted at least 16,555 tests with 438 positive results.
Where to get a COVID-19 test
As the coronavirus pandemic continues, testing has increased in San Luis Obispo County.
Pop-up testing clinics will be staffed by county employees and analyzed at the Public Health Department lab, which has recently increased its testing capacity to 300 tests per day.
In addition to the pop-up testing events, free COVID-19 testing is available at ongoing sites in Grover Beach and San Luis Obispo.
▪ Grover Beach: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Ramona Garden Park, 993 Ramona Ave.
▪ San Luis Obispo: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Veterans Memorial Hall, 801 Grand Ave.
Additional pop-up clinics will be available in North County beginning next Monday.
Testing is available through private healthcare providers, urgent care centers and the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Lab.
Visit ReadySLO.org for the latest public health updates and recommendations.
To make an appointment, visit emergencySLO.org/testing; you can register by phone at 888-634-1123.
The county continues to ask that people limit large social gatherings and wear face coverings in public spaces when physical distancing can’t be maintained, in accordance with a state mandate issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom last Thursday.
This story was originally published June 29, 2020 at 2:54 PM.
