SLO County passes 8,000 coronavirus cases — and adds 2 deaths
San Luis Obispo County passed the 8,000-coronavirus case mark Wednesday, adding 195 new cases of COVID-19.
On Wednesday, the county reported two more coronavirus-related deaths, bringing the total number of people who have died due to COVID-19 locally to 54.
One of the county residents who recently died due to COVID-19 was in their 60s, and the other was in their 70s, the county tweeted. Both had underlying health conditions.
A total of 8,090 San Luis Obispo County residents have tested positive for coronavirus since mid-March, the county said. Of those cases, 1,523 are active — which is the highest number of active cases the county has seen and the first time the county has ever had more than 1,500 active cases.
A total of 29 people were in the hospital with coronavirus Wednesday, which is the greatest number of hospitalizations the county has reached.
According to the county Public Health Department, there have been COVID-19 outbreaks at more than 20 local congregate living facilities, including skilled nursing facilities, fire departments and California Men’s Colony state prison in San Luis Obispo.
“(COVID-19) ... is having its way with us and we need to turn that around and all take it seriously,” Dr. Penny Borenstein, county public health officer, said at a Dec. 9 news conference.
As of Wednesday, San Luis Obispo County remained in California’s most restrictive tier of California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy and under the Southern California regional stay-at-home order.
The county returned to the purple tier on Nov. 16. The stay-at-home order went into just before midnight on Dec. 6.
What is ICU bed availability in Southern California and SLO County?
According to the state, 21 out of 53 of San Luis Obispo County ICU beds were available as of Tuesday. The dashboard had not been updated Wednesday as of 1:30 p.m.
Even though San Luis Obispo County’s ICU availability isn’t below 15%, the ICU availability in the Southern California region means that the county falls under a new stay-at-home order. The stay-at-home order will remain in place for at least three weeks.
San Luis Obispo County is considered to be part of the Southern California region — along with Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
As of Wednesday, ICU availability in the Southern California region has continued to trend downward. Only .5% of the ICU beds in the Sothern California region were available Wednesday.
Under the order, local retail stores are limited to 20% capacity inside. Restaurants are closed to indoor and outdoor dining, and bars, wineries and hair salons are required to close. In addition, places of worship will only be allowed to have outdoor services.
In response, San Luis Obispo County is pushing for the state to separate it from the Southern California region.
San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties jointly petitioned the state to form a Central Coast region under California’s regional stay-at-home order.
New COVID-19 cases by city
Here is where new COVID-19 cases were added Wednesday in San Luis Obispo County, according to ReadySLO.org:
- San Luis Obispo: 78
- Paso Robles: 30
- Arroyo Grande: 21
Atascadero: 13
- Oceano: 13
- Grover Beach: 10
- Nipomo: 7
- California Men’s Colony: 5
Templeton: 5
- Santa Margarita: 4
- Los Osos: 4
- Morro Bay: 3
- Pismo Beach: 2
- Cambria: 1
- Shandon: 1
The locations of 10 cases were listed as “other.” A total of 26 cases were under investigation.
Outbreaks at the California Men’s Colony and Atascadero State Hospital have been greater than indicated by county data, according to data from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Department of State Hospitals — which oversee coronavirus cases at the two facilities respectively.
The CDCR has recorded 487 total coronavirus cases among CMC inmates, with no new cases Wednesday.
Similarly, the county’s data for ASH does not match that of the DSS.
According to the DSS, ASH has had a total of 84 coronavirus-positive patients, with an increase of 16 coronavirus cases since Tuesday.
Cal Poly’s documented total of coronavirus cases involving both on-campus and off-campus students was 884 as of Wednesday.
For a detailed look at local coronavirus cases by age, occupation and more, visit ReadySLO.org.
SLO County coronavirus cases by the numbers
Here’s a look at San Luis Obispo County’s cases on Wednesday, according to the county Public Health Department:
- Active cases: 1,523
- Recovered cases: 6,504
- People recovering at home: 1,494
- People receiving hospital care: 29
- People in intensive care units: 7
- Deaths due to COVID-19: 54 (including two California Men’s Colony inmates)
- Local ICU beds available: 21 (out of 53)
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.
Free coronavirus testing is available at clinics throughout San Luis Obispo County:
- Grover Beach: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Ramona Garden Park Center, 993 Ramona Ave.
- Morro Bay: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Veterans Memorial Building, 209 Surf St.
Nipomo: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Senior Center 200 E. Dana St.
- Paso Robles: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Frontier Pavilion, Paso Robles Event Center, 2198 Riverside Ave.
- San Luis Obispo: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Veterans Memorial Hall, 801 Grand Ave.
In addition, COVID-19 testing is available through private healthcare providers, urgent care centers and the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Lab.
San Luis Obispo County public health officials urge people to use self-swab at-home tests if they are not experiencing coronavirus symptoms or have not been exposed to a person who has COVID-19.
Visit ReadySLO.org for the latest public health updates and recommendations. ReadySLO.org lists more than a dozen urgent care centers that offer COVID-19 testing.
To make an appointment, visit emergencySLO.org/testing; you can register by phone at 888-634-1123.
How to report a COVID-19 code violation
To report violations of coronavirus-related orders meant to limit the spread of COVID-19, call the San Luis Obispo County COVID Enforcement hotline at 805-788-2222 or email covid-compliance@co.slo.ca.us.
This story was originally published December 16, 2020 at 1:50 PM.
