Coronavirus updates: Santa Maria inmate dies; CMC outbreak likely caused by staff member
San Luis Obispo County added 24 cases of COVID-19 and one coronavirus-related death on Thursday
As of Wednesday, a total of 2,324 San Luis Obispo County residents have tested positive for coronavirus and 18 people have died locally due to the virus since March.
Some schools have begun online classes, but Cal Poly is planning to hold about 13% of its classes in person this fall.
Here are your local updates for Thursday:
CMC coronavirus outbreak likely caused by staff transmission, officials say
County Public Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said the outbreak at the California Men’s Colony may have been caused by staff transmission.
“I don’t know specifically,” Borenstein said at a Wednesday news briefing. “With the inmates having been in the facility over a long period, those who have been impacted, and with the plan that any new inmate gets quarantined in a different location in the facility, I got to believe that some member or members of the staff, who were infected, probably unknowingly, asymptomatically, may have been the leading edge of that outbreak.”
The state prison in San Luis Obispo has had 183 inmates and 12 employees test positive for coronavirus in the past two weeks, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Two of the infected inmates have been released, while 181 cases remain active in the prison.
Death of Santa Maria inmate who had COVID-19 under investigstion
A Santa Maria inmate who was hospitalized for COVID-19 complications has died while in custody at the Santa Barbara County Jail, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office announced on Wednesday.
Eduardo Velazquez, 38, was found unresponsive in his cell at approximately 9 p.m. Tuesday, according to Raquel Zick, sheriff’s public information officer.
His death came a month after Santa Maria police arrested Velazquez on child molestation charges, reportedly taking him into custody in Ventura County.
Here’s what Cal Poly’s campus will look like this fall
The California State University Chancellor’s Office approved Cal Poly’s reopening plan after the state universities received guidelines Friday from Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Public Health on reopening campus safely.
Cal Poly’s plan restricts the number of students on its San Luis Obispo campus, greatly decreases the number of in-person classes, puts several safety measures in place and details contingencies if a student or faculty member tests positive for the virus.
This fall, Cal Poly will only house about 70% of the usual capacity and have in person classes for about 13% of their classes offered.
First day of school for Atascadero district
San Luis Obispo County’s first day of school kicked off Wednesday in Atascadero as students from kindergarten to 12th grade began the year in distance learning due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Atascadero Unified School District encompasses 13 schools educating about 4,600 students.
The district’s independent study and home school learning option has seen a huge increase in enrollment due to COVID-19, said Atascadero Choices in Education (ACE) Academy Principal Chris Balogh.
SLO County hospitals offer new option for patients
Tenet Health Central Coast, which operates Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton and Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, has launched a new tele-medicine service for patients who may be fearful of going to the ER because of the coronavirus pandemic.
If a patient requires in-person care, diagnostic procedures or lab tests, they will be asked to come into the hospital, according to hospital officials.
Patients can access Tele-ER around the clock by calling 805-546-7990.
SLO County families struggle to adjust to school online
San Luis Obispo County schools are reopening via distance learning due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Without in-person classes, teachers said detecting the signs of an unstable or unsafe home environment is a lot harder.
A total of 2,965 students qualify for assistance under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act in San Luis Obispo County, according to a program coordinator for homeless and foster youth services at the county Office of Education.
This story was originally published August 13, 2020 at 11:54 AM.
