Coronavirus updates: Paso Robles concerts delayed, most Santa Barbara County bars to close
San Luis Obispo County’s coronavirus case numbers are rising as the pandemic continues and businesses reopen.
Over the weekend and on Monday, San Luis Obispo County added 59 new cases of COVID-19, resulting in the highest number of active cases since mid-March and the highest number of hospitalized patients and patients in the intensive care unit.
While bars are allowed to remain open in San Luis Obispo County, events continue to be canceled.
Here are your local updates for Tuesday.
Santa Barbara County bars close after surge in COVID-19 cases
Santa Barbara County reported 96 new COVID-19 cases Monday, the largest one-day total since early May.
The county also reported its 30th COVID-19 death — a Santa Maria resident over the age of 70.
The latest surge in cases was reported on the same day that the county Public Health Department ordered most bars, breweries and brewpubs to close, effective Wednesday morning.
The bar closure order comes a day after Gov. Gavin Newsom recommended that action for Santa Barbara and seven other counties.
Newsom also issued an order closing bars in seven counties seeing surges in COVID-19 cases.
SLO County adds 59 new COVID-19 cases
San Luis Obispo County added 59 new cases of coronavirus over the weekend and on Monday, 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.
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.”
New coronavirus cases involve people who went to local bars
San Luis Obispo County reported 59 new coronavirus cases over the weekend and into Monday — including those involving people who went to local bars recently.
According to a news release Monday afternoon, San Luis Obispo County Department of Public Health investigators found the largest increase in cases over the weekend was due to community spread, including cases among people who reported going to bars.
Only three weeks after they reopened, the state of California ordered bars in seven counties to shutter once again after those areas saw a dramatic climb in coronavirus numbers.
Paso Robles Concerts in the Park delays start
The Paso Robles Recreation Foundation and Paso Robles Recreation Services have delayed the start of the popular Concerts in the Park series indefinitely due to coronavirus.
“We’d love to host concerts this summer if we are able to,” Paso Robles recreation services manager Lynda Plescia said in a news release.
She said organizers are working to “keep the concerts on the calendar” while abiding by state guidelines and safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
According to the release, the outdoor summer concert series usually brings about 2,5000 people to Downtown City Park. When it is safe to gather in large groups, the series will resume, according to Plescia.
This story was originally published June 30, 2020 at 10:30 AM.
