Coronavirus updates: Fifth SLO County sheriff’s deputy tests positive for COVID-19, 144 new cases added
San Luis Obispo County has had 1,644 coronavirus cases since mid-March as of Monday.
As of Monday, there were a total of 426 local active COVID-19 cases. One additional coronavirus-related death was reported over the weekend.
And in Santa Barbara County, officials are now requiring face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Here are your local Monday updates:
SLO County adds 144 new coronavirus cases over weekend
San Luis Obispo County added 144 new cases of coronavirus over a three-day period from Saturday to Monday, bringing the total number of people who have locally tested positive for COVID-19 since March to 1,644, according to ReadySLO.org.
As of Monday, there were a total of 426 local active COVID-19 cases.
Fifty-four new cases were reported Saturday, 27 were reported Sunday and the remaining 53 new cases were reported Monday.
On Saturday and Sunday, the highest number of hospitalized patients, 16 patients, were reported. The number of hospitalized patients is now 15.
A ninth San Luis Obispo County resident died from COVID-19 on Sunday, according to a county news release. The person was in their 70s with underlying health conditions and developed coronavirus after returning from a trip out of state.
Fifth SLO County sheriff’s deputy tests positive for coronavirus
A fifth San Luis Obispo County sheriff’s deputy tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, the Sheriff’s Office announced Monday.
This is the second patrol deputy to test positive for the virus. The first tested positive July 19. The other three deputies who have tested positive for coronavirus are correctional deputies who work at the San Luis Obispo County Jail.
Four of the coronavirus-positive sheriff deputies are recovering at home and one has already returned to work, according to the release.
SLO County says to avoid gatherings to slow spread of COVID-19
San Luis Obispo County health officials are asking residents to avoid social and family gatherings after the county added 144 cases over the weekend.
As of Monday, the county has had 1,644 coronavirus cases since mid-March, 426 of which remain active.
Through contact tracing, the county has identified many cases have spread between households at holiday gatherings, birthday parties, graduation ceremonies and other medium-to-small sized gatherings, according to a county news release.
According to the release, many of the gatherings were indoors and involve people from multiple households being together for prolonged periods of time and sharing food or beverages.
A ninth person dies from COVID-19 in SLO County
A ninth San Luis Obispo County resident died due to COVID-19, county health officials announced late Sunday.
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.
The most recent death followed an eighth death on Thursday of a person who was in their 80s and had underlying health conditions. That person had been living in a care facility, the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department said in a news release Thursday.
Coronavirus scammers are calling SLO County residents
A new coronavirus-related phone scam popped on the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department’s radar last week.
Residents who haven’t taken COVID-19 tests called the county and said someone claiming to be with the health department called and told them they tested positive for the virus, county Public Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said at a Wednesday news briefing.
Borenstein said the county believes the scammers hope to gather personal information and cause public distrust of the health department by wrongfully implying that it is miscounting cases.
If a person tests positive for coronavirus, they will be contacted by the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department with an 805-781 or 805-788 number, Borenstein said, and it is important for people to answer that call for contact tracing.
Santa Barbara County Public Health officer issues face covering mandate
Santa Barbara County Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg on Thursday ordered people in Santa Barbara County to wear face coverings when in high-risk situations that may contribute to the spread of COVID-19.
Ansorg issued a new health officer order that took effect at 5 p.m. Thursday and will continue until 5 p.m. Aug. 20, or until it is extended, rescinded, superseded or amended. The order was issued to align with the state’s mandate that face coverings be worn.
In June, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide order requiring people to wear a face covering in many settings.
The county’s order intends “to provide clarity on when face coverings should be worn and to be aligned with the California Department of Public Health’s mandated guidelines,” Santa Barbara County Public Health said in a statement.
As of Friday, the county has had 5,579 COVIID-19 cases, 369 of which are active, according to the Public Health Department.
This story was originally published July 27, 2020 at 10:10 AM.
