SLO County adds 24 cases of coronavirus — and 1 death
San Luis Obispo County added 24 new cases of coronavirus Tuesday, a day after the county reported its highest single-day increase.
The county reported 85 new COVID-19 cases on Monday.
A total of 2,278 people have locally tested positive for COVID-19 since March, according to ReadySLO.org.
Meanwhile, a 17th county resident has died due to coronavirus, the county Public Health Department said via Twitter.
New COVID-19 cases by city and age
The city of San Luis Obispo saw six new coronavirus cases on Tuesday.
In the North County, Paso Robles added 10 coronavirus cases, while Atascadero added three cases and Templeton added two.
In the South County, Nipomo and Oceano added one case apiece. No new cases were added in the North Coast area.
Of the most recent local cases, seven involve people 50 and older, while 17 involve people under the age of 50.
SLO County coronavirus cases by the numbers
A majority of San Luis Obispo County residents who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 — 1,879 — have completely recovered from the illness.
A total of 360 people are still recovering at home. Of the 21 patients receiving hospital treatment, six patients remain in intensive care units.
There have been 17 local deaths related to coronavirus, including a person in their 90s with chronic health problems.
According to the county Public Health Department, cases are categorized by zip code rather than city or town limits.
The Paso Robles area continues to have the most COVID-19 cases in the county with 616, while Nipomo has 283 cases.
The city of San Luis Obispo has 278 coronavirus cases.
Atascadero has 254 case, and Arroyo Grande has 163.
Grover Beach has 107 coronavirus cases, Templeton has 89, San Miguel has 81 and Oceano has 67.
Pismo Beach has 48 cases of coronavirus, Los Osos has 44, Morro Bay has 30 and Cambria has 28 cases.
Santa Margarita has 23 cases, Shandon has 16 and Cayucos has 13.
Avila Beach has seven COVID-19 cases, and San Simeon has six cases.
A total of 117 inmates and 12 employees at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo have tested positive for COVID-19 since March, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Other areas — defined as cities or communities with fewer than five cases — have 11 cases altogether. And four cases are listed as under investigation.
In total, 422 cases involve people ages 50 to 64, while 197 cases involve people age 65 to 84, and 49 involve people over the age of 85 years old.
There are 760 residents aged 30 to 49 who have tested positive for COVID-19 and 622 residents aged 18 to 29 years old. The remaining 227 cases involve people age 17 and younger.
The age of one case remains under investigation.
In total, 800 cases were acquired by person-to-person contact, meaning the patient came into contact with a confirmed coronavirus case. A total of 167 cases are travel-related, according to ReadySLO.org.
Another 596 cases were acquired by community spread, which means patients do not know if they came into direct contact with a confirmed case and they did not acquire COVID-19 by travel.
And 715 coronavirus cases are still under investigation by county contact tracers.
San Luis Obispo County public and private health labs have conducted at least 44,480 tests locally on Tuesday. Between Monday and Tuesday, a total of 4,401 tests were conducted, according to ReadySLO.org.
Where to get a COVID-19 test
As the coronavirus pandemic continues, San Luis Obispo County says it can no longer keep up with an increased demand in testing.
In July, county public health officer Dr. Penny Borenstein asked that only community members with COVID-19 symptoms and those who work in high-risk settings, such as essential workers and congregate living facility workers, get tested.
A pop-up testing location will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Aug. 20, at Pavilion On the Lake, 9315 Pismo Ave. in Atascadero.
Free COVID-19 testing is available at ongoing sites in Grover Beach and San Luis Obispo.
▪ Grover Beach: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Ramona Garden Park, 993 Ramona Ave.
▪ San Luis Obispo: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Veterans Memorial Hall, 801 Grand Ave.
Testing is available through private healthcare providers, urgent care centers and the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Lab.
Visit ReadySLO.org for the latest public health updates and recommendations.
To make an appointment, visit emergencySLO.org/testing; you can register by phone at 888-634-1123.
The county continues to ask that people limit large social gatherings and wear face coverings in public spaces when physical distancing can’t be maintained, in accordance with a state mandate issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
This story was originally published August 11, 2020 at 1:56 PM.