SLO County adds 16 new cases of coronavirus
San Luis Obispo County added 16 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday, according to ReadySLO.org.
That brings the total number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 locally since March to 3,332.
The county’s total does not include nine of the 293 inmates who have tested positive for COVID-19 at California Men’s Colony state prison in San Luis Obispo, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
As of Tuesday, San Luis Obispo County now meets California’s two COVID-19 testing metrics to drop from the highest tier of restrictions, according to ReadySLO.org.
But it must stay there for two weeks before any action can occur. The updated metrics are released every Tuesday.
The county is now seeing a positivity rate of 2.9%, well below the 8% threshold needed to drop from purple Tier 1 to red Tier 2.
San Luis Obispo County has regularly performed well on that metric, but it’s the second one where improvements have put San Luis Obispo in position to move down a level.
In the cases-per-100,000-tests metric, the county now sits at 6.3, below the threshold of seven needed to drop down.
New COVID-19 cases by city
The city of San Luis Obispo added five new cases of COVID-19 since Wednesday.
In the North County, Paso Robles added four new cases, and Creston added two cases. Atascadero and Santa Margarita added one case each.
In South County, Pismo Beach added one case of coronavirus.
In the North Coast area, Morro Bay added one case of COVID-19
For a detailed look at local coronavirus cases by age, ethnicity, occupation and more, visit ReadySLO.org.
SLO County coronavirus cases by the numbers
A majority of San Luis Obispo County residents who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 — 3,113 — have completely recovered from the illness.
A total of 175 people are recovering at home. Fifteen patients are receiving hospital treatment, with five patients in intensive care units.
In total, 183 patients have been admitted to hospitals due to COVID-19.
A total of 27 county residents have died due to coronavirus as of Thursday, including a person in their 80s who had underlying health conditions, according to the county Public Health Department.
A total of 293 inmates and 53 employees at the California’s Men’s Colony have tested positive for COVID-19 since mid-March, and one inmate has died due to the coronavirus, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Seven CMC inmates were released while active and 254 inmates have recovered from coronavirus, the CDCR said. (The case numbers reported on the CDCR website vary from those reported on ReadySLO.org due to “delays in the state’s reporting system.”)
A total of 79 Cal Poly students and six faculty and staff members have tested positive for coronavirus since July 8, according to the university.
Six students who live on campus were in isolation as of Thursday. In addition, 15 Cal Poly students were in quarantine.
San Luis Obispo County public and private health labs conduct an average of 290.9 tests per 100,000 per day, according to the county. The state average is 217.9.
The county is no longer reporting the total number of tests conducted by private and public health labs.
Where to get a COVID-19 test
The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department is urging anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, or those who have come into contact with someone with the virus, to get tested.
“If you think you have been exposed, stay home and make an appointment online to get tested at least five days after exposure,” county Public Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said in a news release. “Please also stay home until you receive your test results. We don’t want anyone unknowingly spreading COVID-19.”
Free COVID-19 testing is available at the South County Regional Center, 800 W. Branch St. in Arroyo Grande, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Beginning Sept. 21, testing will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m,. Monday through Friday.
Testing is also available at the Veterans Memorial Building, 209 Surf St. in Morro Bay, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
In San Luis Obispo, testing is available at the Veterans Memorial Hall, 801 Grand Ave., 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
In addition, COVID-19 testing is available through private healthcare providers, urgent care centers and the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Lab.
Coronavirus testing will be available at the Pavilion on the Lake, 9315 Pismo Ave. in Atascadero, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday, Sept. 21 through Oct. 1.
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.