Ninth SLO County resident dies due to COVID-19 — after taking a trip out of state
A ninth San Luis Obispo County resident has died due to COVID-19, according to county health officials.
The person was in their 70s with underlying health conditions, and had been hospitalized for more than two weeks beginning about a week after taking a trip out of state, the county Public Health Department said in a news release Sunday.
The county did not say where the person had traveled.
“This pandemic has claimed another life here in SLO County,” county health officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said in the release. “As we mourn the loss of one of our neighbors, we can each do our part to slow the spread of this disease and protect others from COVID-19. Please stay close to home, wear a face covering in public, maintain six feet of distance when leaving the house, and wash your hands frequently.”
As of Friday, 1,500 cases of coronavirus had been reported in San Luis Obispo County. A total of 1,030 local patients had completely recovered from the illness, while 449 people were still recovering at home.
Of the 13 patients receiving hospital treatment, four patients remained in intensive care units as of Friday.
The county reported its first COVID-19-related death on April 4, and a second on July 1. Six more coronavirus-related deaths have occurred in San Luis Obispo County in July.
“While risk increases with age among adults,” the county noted in Sunday’s release, “younger adults and those without chronic health conditions have also faced serious illness and hospitalization.”
Citing the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Public Health Department said that COVID-19 can quickly spread to a lot of people and result in continuous spread among people as time progresses.
CDC data also indicates that it’s possible for people to spread the virus for about two days before experiencing signs or symptoms and remain contagious for at least 10 days after signs or symptoms first appeared, the county.
All residents, regardless of risk factors, should take precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19, the county said.
For updates on COVID-19 in San Luis Obispo County, visit ReadySLO.org or call the recorded Public Health Information Line at 805-788-2903. A staffed phone assistance center at 805-543-2444 is available Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to assist with questions related to COVID-19.
