Coronavirus updates: SLO County headed for watch list, outbreaks at residential facilities
San Luis Obispo County has reported a total of 808 coronavirus cases since mid-March as of Tuesday, adding 43 new cases.
As numbers continue to rise, Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo announced a mostly virtual fall semester.
Here are your local Tuesday updates.
SLO County adds 43 new cases of coronavirus
San Luis Obispo County reported 43 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, bringing the total number of people who locally tested positive for COVID-19 since March to 808, according to ReadySLO.org.
Of the new cases, 11 involved people 50 or older, and 32 involve people under the age of 50.
Paso Robles added 11 coronavirus cases, while San Luis Obispo added seven.
Atascadero, Grover Beach and San Miguel added four cases each. Arroyo Grande had two new cases, and Oceano added one.
SLO County headed for California COVID-19 watch list, officials say
San Luis Obispo County is expected to be added to a state “watch list” after failing to meet all of California’s criteria to remain open amid the coronavirus pandemic, county public health officials said.
According to the county health department, San Luis Obispo County exceeded the state’s COVID-19 case rate criteria over the weekend.
Over the last 14 days, the county’s case rate was about 114 COVID-19 patients per 100,000 people, according to a Tuesday news release. To meet Califonia’s criteria, no more than 100 per 100,000 people can test positive in a 14-day period.
Coronavirus outbreaks at 2 local residential care facilities
Two more residential care facilities in San Luis Obispo County reported coronavirus outbreaks over the weekend, the county confirmed Tuesday.
Both facilities saw residents with COVID-19 who were admitted to the hospital, the county health department said in the release.
One is a facility for the elderly in North County, according to the release, while the other in San Luis Obispo is for adults with developmental disabilities.
SLO County says to stick to a ‘social bubble’ to stop coronavirus spread
San Luis Obispo County public health officer Dr. Penny Borenstein is now advising residents stick to “social bubbles” when hanging out with friends.
A study published in June in the research journal Nature found that groups that limited themselves to contact with one or two other households, rather than several, significantly spread out the length of time it took for infection to reach them or spread to others.
In other words, they flattened the curve.
Health officials across the United States are recommending people form social bubbles or “quarantine pods” to help slow the virus’ spread.
Cuesta College will hold most fall classes online due to coronavirus
Cuesta College will offer the majority of its classes online during the fall semester due to the continued spread of coronavirus.
All lecture, activity and performance courses will be available online next semester, set to start Aug. 17, according to a news release Monday evening.
Only some “difficult-to-convert labs, activities and performance courses” will remain in person at the community college, which has campuses in Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo, the release said.
The school has been holding mostly virtual classes since March.
SLO County adds 68 cases of COVID-19 over weekend
San Luis Obispo County reported 68 new coronavirus cases over the holiday weekend, according to ReadySLO.org.
On Saturday, the county passed 700 COVID-19 cases, reaching 718, with 21 new cases. Twenty-six new cases were reported Sunday and 21 on Monday.
As of Monday, there are 198 active COVID-19 patients in San Luis Obispo County. Saturday saw the highest total of active local patients yet at 223.
Of the new cases, 25 involve adults 50 years old or older, and 39 involve adults under the age of 50. Four of the latest people to test positive for COVID-19 are minors.
Atascadero car show, cruise postponed due to coronavirus
The city of Atascadero has put the brakes on its popular Cruisin’ Weekend due to coronavirus concerns.
The weekend, which includes Hot El Camino Cruise Nite in downtown Atascadero and the Mid State Cruizers Car Show at Atascadero Lake Park, was originally scheduled for Aug. 14 and 15.
“Without being able to come up with a satisfactory and safe alternate delivery method that would enable the city to host any of these very popular events this summer ... the city has now made the tough decision to postpone the entire weekend lineup of activities until 2021,” Atascadero deputy city manager Terrie Banish said in a news release.
Cruisin’ Weekend will be held on Aug. 20 and 21, 2021.
This story was originally published July 7, 2020 at 12:29 PM.
