SLO County reports 8 more COVID deaths as total case count tops 10,000
San Luis Obispo County reported 576 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, according to data from the county Public Health Department, as well as eight more deaths due to COVID-19.
The figures don’t represent an accurate day-over-day increase because the county is processing backlogged COVID-19 testing data that may go back a week or so.
County officials cited a delay in reporting local coronavirus cases over the Christmas holiday weekend and a change in state criteria for reporting new cases.
Wednesday’s local tally brings the total number of San Luis Obispo County residents who have tested positive for coronavirus since mid-March to 10,178.
Of those, 2,341 local coronavirus cases were considered active as of Wednesday.
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 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. A total of 82 county residents have died due to COVID-19 since March, the county said.
On Wednesday, the county Public Health Department reported that eight additional people have died locally due to COVID-19 — all of them between the ages of 60 and 100.
“Our hearts got out to those who lost their life to this virus as well as to their loved ones, who are grieving today,” the agency posted on Twitter.
Local hospitalizations due to COVID-19 have remained high after top health leaders warned of “dire consequences” due to limited capacity.
As of Wednesday, 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, 19 of San Luis Obispo County’s intensive care unit beds were available as of Wednesday.
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.
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 remained at 0%, health department data showed.
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:
Paso Robles: 93
San Luis Obispo: 85
- Arroyo Grande: 56
- Atascadero: 51
Nipomo: 42
Grover Beach: 33
Oceano: 30
Morro Bay: 21
Los Osos: 16
Templeton: 14
- Atascadero State Hospital: 10
Pismo Beach: 10
Cayucos: 4
Shandon: 4
Avila Beach: 2
San Miguel: 2
- Santa Margarita: 2
- Shandon: 4
The locations of 14 cases were listed as “other.” A total of 37 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.
The CDCR had recorded 928 total coronavirus cases among CMC inmates as of Wednesday, an increase of 88 cases.
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 115 coronavirus-positive patients as of Wednesday, up one case from the previous day.
Cal Poly’s documented total of coronavirus cases involving both on-campus and off-campus students was 888 as of Dec. 24. That figure had not been updated 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: 2,341
- Recovered cases: 7,837
- People recovering at home: 2,187
- People receiving hospital care: 58
- People in intensive care units: 11
- Deaths due to COVID-19: 82
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.
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