SLO County adds 63 new coronavirus cases — and 4 more deaths
San Luis Obispo County reported 63 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, according to data from the county Public Health Department, as well as four more deaths.
San Luis Obispo County’s figures continue to lag behind the state’s count by about 660 cases, due to what the county called a delay in reporting cases over the Christmas holiday weekend and a change in state criteria for reporting new cases.
Tuesday’s local tally brings the total number of San Luis Obispo County residents who have tested positive for coronavirus since mid-March to 9,602.
Of those, 2,093 cases were considered active as of Tuesday.
But the number of new local cases reported by the state remains substantially higher. The California Department of Public Health reported a daily jump of 106 potential new cases of coronavirus from Monday, bringing the total number of local cases since March to 10,260, according to the state’s data.
San Luis Obispo County spokeswoman Michelle Shoresman told The Tribune on Monday that the state changed how it relays information about new cases to counties last week, and the county Public Health Department is adjusting to the new method.
She said that the local numbers will begin to more closely reflect the state’s numbers over the next days and weeks as the county confirms more of the state’s reported new cases.
Meanwhile, the local coronavirus death toll continues to rise.
On Tuesday, the county Public Health Department reported four additional deaths due to COVID-19 — all involving people between the ages of 80 and 100, according to a tweet by the agency.
Local hospitalizations due to COVID-19 have remained high after top health leaders warned of “dire consequences” due to limited capacity.
As of Tuesday, San Luis Obispo County remains 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 order was expected to be lifted Monday after the allotted three weeks had passed.
But Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a Monday news conference that state Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly will provide updated projections for intensive care unit availability that would guide the timeline for ending the stay-at-home order in each region.
According to The Sacramento Bee, “extensions for Southern California and San Joaquin Valley are essentially guaranteed.”
The county returned to the purple tier on Nov. 16.
What is ICU bed availability in Southern California and SLO County?
According to the state, 23 of San Luis Obispo County’s ICU beds were available as of Tuesday.
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 the stay-at-home order.
As of Tuesday, ICU availability in the Southern California region remained at 0%, health department data showed.
New COVID-19 cases by city
Here is where new COVID-19 cases were added Tuesday in San Luis Obispo County, according to ReadySLO.org:
- San Luis Obispo: 15
- Arroyo Grande: 9
Paso Robles: 9
Atascadero: 8
Atascadero State Hospital: 7
Oceano: 5
California Men’s Colony: 4
Santa Margarita: 3
Nipomo: 3
Los Osos: 2
Grover Beach: 2
Templeton: 2
Cayucos: 2
Avila Beach: 1
Morro Bay: 1
Pismo Beach: 1
- San Miguel: 1
Shandon: 1
The locations of 12 cases were listed as “other.” A total of 34 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 had recorded 840 total coronavirus cases among CMC inmates as of Tuesday.
Similarly, the county’s data for ASH does not match that of the Department of State Hospitals.
According to the DHS, ASH had a total of 114 coronavirus-positive patients as of Tuesday.
Cal Poly’s documented total of coronavirus cases involving both on-campus and off-campus students was 888 as of Tuesday.
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 Tuesday, according to the county Public Health Department:
- Active cases: 2 ,093
- Recovered cases: 7,421
- People recovering at home: 2,034
- People receiving hospital care: 59
- People in intensive care units: 12
- Deaths due to COVID-19: 74
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 29, 2020 at 2:04 PM.
