ICU capacity falls below 35% as SLO County adds more than 400 new COVID cases
San Luis Obispo County reported 414 new COVID-19 cases over the last three days, while the pressure on local intensive care units remains acute, newly released Public Health Department data shows.
As of Friday, a total of 59 people were receiving treatment for COVID-19 at area hospitals, including 18 in the intensive care unit, Public Health reported. Public Health on Friday didn’t report any additional COVID-19-related deaths.
The county’s COVID-19 hospitalization numbers are down slightly from Tuesday, when the county reported 67 people were receiving inpatient care and 20 were in the ICU. That day, the county held a special news conference where hospital administrators implored people to get vaccinated as demand for medical care spiked.
However, demand for ICU care remains high, as 24 of 38 total beds are occupied, meaning SLO County has only 34% of its capacity remaining.
New COVID-19 data shows encouraging signs
The county’s 14-day average positive case count remains high at 142, but there are some encouraging signs. Positive cases have stayed below 100 during three of the last six days following 13 straight days in the triple digits at the end of August.
The number of active cases has also dropped in recent days. There are now 1,468 active cases, a decline of more than 20% since the county hit a recent high of 1,873 cases on Monday. That’s the most significant drop in active cases seen during the summer surge.
A total of 26,143 county residents have tested positive for the coronavirus during the course of the pandemic, and 284 people have died.
Here’s how local coronavirus case numbers from the past three days break down day by day:
- Wednesday: 166
- Thursday: 175
- Friday: 73
The county Public Health Department is not providing information about how many newly reported cases, hospitalizations and deaths involve vaccinated and unvaccinated people.
The agency on Tuesday released new data showing 76.9% of COVID-19 cases, 85.5% of hospitalizations and 79% of deaths since June 15 have involved unvaccinated people.
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: 99
Atascadero: 57
Templeton: 23
San Miguel: 12
Santa Margarita: 8
Atascadero State Hospital: 2
Shandon: 1
South County
Nipomo: 37
- Arroyo Grande: 30
Grover Beach: 22
Oceano: 12
Pismo Beach: 2
SLO and North Coast
San Luis Obispo: 68
Los Osos: 17
Morro Bay: 13
Cambria: 6
Cayucos: 4
Cal Poly (campus residents): 2
San Simeon: 2
The locations of eight cases were listed as “other.” A total of 125 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: 1,468
- Recovered cases: 24,380
- People recovering at home: 1,409
- People receiving hospital care: 59
- Total people in intensive care units: 18
People in intensive care units out of the county: 0
- Deaths due to COVID-19: 284
Here are the total number of COVID-19 cases in communities throughout San Luis Obispo County.
- Paso Robles: 5,249
- San Luis Obispo: 4,900
Atascadero: 2,759
California Men’s Colony: 2,386
Arroyo Grande: 1,918
Nipomo: 1,914
Grover Beach: 1,118
Templeton: 914
Oceano: 801
Cal Poly (campus residents): 670
Los Osos: 643
San Miguel: 634
Morro Bay: 562
Pismo Beach: 439
Cambria: 239
Atascadero State Hospital: 212
Santa Margarita: 206
Shandon: 162
Cayucos: 105
Creston: 102
Avila Beach: 45
San Simeon: 32
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.
