Fourth SLO County resident dies of COVID-19, the youngest patient to die locally
A fourth San Luis Obispo County resident has died due to COVID-19, the county reported Thursday afternoon.
The 52-year-old — the youngest person to die due to COVID-19 locally — had significant underlying health condition and was living in a long-term care facility that experienced an outbreak, according to the county news release.
The county did not specify which long-term residential facility the patient lived in.
“We are mourning the loss of another vulnerable resident to this disease — the second in two days,” county health officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said in a news release. “We extend our condolences to the patient’s loved ones. Everyone in SLO County must take precautions to protect our most vulnerable community members.”
The fourth person to die from the virus locally had been hospitalized over the weekend with coronavirus symptoms, the release said.
The fourth death followed the death of a 61-year-old long-term living facility resident who died Wednesday.
A 94-year-old patient with severe COVID-19 symptoms for about two weeks died on July 1.
The first person to die of coronavirus in San Luis Obispo County died in early April.
Borenstein advised that people stay home if they are sick, keep six feet apart , wear face coverings in public and wash their hands often.
Although the risk is higher for older adults, younger adults make up a large portion of the county’s cases, and according to the release, even young adults in the county have been hospitalized by the virus.
This story was originally published July 9, 2020 at 1:27 PM.
