COVID hospitalizations rise as SLO County reports another death, hundreds of new cases
San Luis Obispo County reported one new death due to COVID-19 on Friday as the number of hospitalizations here continues to rise to numbers not seen since February.
The individual whose death the county reported on Friday was in their 60s, Public Health spokeswoman Michelle Shoresman confirmed.
“It is heartbreaking to lose another member of our community to COVID-19,” said Dr. Penny Borenstein, county Health Officer, in a news release. “As COVID-19 spreads in our community, we must each do our part to slow the spread by wearing a mask and getting the vaccine if you haven’t done so yet.”
A total of 42 people are now being treated in local hospitals, including 10 in the intensive care unit, according to the Public Health Department.
That’s a dramatic increase from less than a month ago, when only a handful of people were hospitalized due to the coronavirus.
In fact, as recently as six weeks ago on July 8, only a single person was hospitalized in SLO County.
The hospitalizations come amid a surge in cases fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant.
Overall, the county reported 425 new cases since the last update on Tuesday, bringing the total to 24,162 cases locally during the pandemic.
A total of 274 people have now died as a result of the virus.
A string of triple-digit days has now made August the fourth-worst month for total COVID-19 cases. Public Health reported 1,976 cases this month, just behind the 2,001 cases reported in November.
The 14-day average is now at 108 cases, the most since Public Health reported 117 cases on Feb. 9.
The number of new cases, however, is showing signs of easing. SLO County has not exceeded its recent single-day high of 165 cases since it spiked on Aug. 12.
Here’s how local coronavirus case numbers from the past three days break down day by day:
The Public Health Department is not providing information about how many newly- reported cases, hospitalizations and deaths involve vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
The agency is reporting only the percentages of vaccinated and unvaccinated people who’ve tested positive for COVID-19, required hospital care or died from the virus since January 2021. Public Health is updating those percentages on a monthly basis.
New COVID-19 cases by city
Here is where new COVID-19 cases were added this week in San Luis Obispo County, according to ReadySLO.org:
North County
Paso Robles: 94
Atascadero: 71
Templeton: 21
San Miguel: 10
Shandon: 4
Creston: 3
Santa Margarita: 3
Atascadero State Hospital: 1
South County
Nipomo: 30
- Arroyo Grande: 26
Oceano: 12
Grover Beach: 11
Pismo Beach: 7
Avila Beach: 1
SLO and North Coast
Morro Bay: 12
Los Osos: 8
Cayucos: 6
Cambria: 5
Cal Poly (campus residents): 2
California Men’s Colony: 1
The locations of eight cases were listed as “other.” A total of 86 cases remained under investigation.
SLO County coronavirus cases by the numbers
Here’s a look at San Luis Obispo County’s cases on Friday, according to the county Public Health Department.
- Active cases: 1,204
- Recovered cases: 22,677
- People recovering at home: 1,162
- People receiving hospital care: 42
- Total people in intensive care units: 10
People in intensive care units out of the county: 0
- Deaths due to COVID-19: 274
Here are the total number of COVID-19 cases in communities throughout San Luis Obispo County.
- Paso Robles: 4,758
- San Luis Obispo: 4,560
Atascadero: 2,491
California Men’s Colony: 2,385
- Arroyo Grande: 1,783
Nipomo: 1,779
Grover Beach: 1,012
Templeton: 814
Oceano: 750
Cal Poly (campus residents): 664
San Miguel: 590
Los Osos: 587
Morro Bay: 509
Pismo Beach: 412
Cambria: 208
Atascadero State Hospital: 194
Santa Margarita: 177
Shandon: 153
Creston: 95
Cayucos: 92
Avila Beach: 33
San Simeon: 22
For a detailed look at local coronavirus cases by age, occupation and more, visit ReadySLO.org.
Where to get a COVID-19 test and schedule a vaccine appointment
Free coronavirus testing is available at clinics in San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles. To make an appointment, visit emergencySLO.org/testing or call 888-634-1123 to register by phone.
The county Public Health Department is currently administering coronavirus vaccines to everyone age 12 and up.
Those eligible to receive their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine can register online or by phone for California’s My Turn appointment system. The county Public Health Department is also administering vaccines on a walk-in basis at clinics in San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles and Grover Beach.
To find appointments, visit MyTurn.ca.gov and complete the registration process. Those who need assistance registering for a vaccine can call 833-422-4255 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Sunday.
To learn more about vaccines offered at the three clinics, or to find out about mobile and pop-up clinics near you, visit RecoverSLO.org/en/when-and-where-can-you-get-vaccinated.aspx. To sign up for email alerts, visit EmergencySLO.org/en/newsletter.aspx.
Residents can also find appointments for coronavirus vaccines through private health partners and some chain pharmacies, including CVS and Vons. To find shots at pharmacies near you, visit Vaccines.gov.
This story was originally published August 20, 2021 at 2:03 PM.
