SLO County adds hundreds of new COVID-19 cases, but the trend lines are improving
San Luis Obispo County continues to report hundreds of new COVID-19 cases, but the numbers are leveling off from the recent spike one month ago and September wrapped up notably better than August.
The county Public Health Department on Friday reported a total of 257 new cases from the past three days. The agency recorded nearly half of those on Thursday, when it posted 121 cases. That’s the highest single-day total since Public Health reported 132 cases on Sept. 22.
The number of active cases now stands at 1,177. That’s an increase from a week ago, but it’s still well off the totals reached during the worst of the summer’s Delta variant surge.
And the 14-day average number of new daily cases is now down to 63, less than half of what Public Health reported at the beginning of September.
The agency didn’t report any new deaths on Friday, meaning the county’s total has held steady since nine new fatalities pushed it to 324 on Sept. 24.
On the hospitalization front, 32 local residents are receiving treatment for COVID-19, including six in intensive care units. Countywide, about 53% of local ICU beds remain available.
September is fourth-worst month for new COVID-19 cases
The county recorded 2,479 new COVID-19 cases in September, a 30% decline from the 3,543 cases it recorded in August. However, the September total was still enough to make it the fourth-worst month for new cases throughout the pandemic.
Here’s how local coronavirus case numbers from the past three days break down day by day:
In total, 28,208 San Luis Obispo County residents have tested positive for coronavirus since March 2020.
The county Public Health Department is not providing information about how many newly reported individual cases, hospitalizations and deaths involve vaccinated and unvaccinated people due to resource limitations and privacy concerns.
Instead, Public Health is releasing monthly data showing the percentages of unvaccinated people who’ve contracted COVID-19, received hospital treatment for the virus or died from it since June 15.
The agency on Oct. 1 released data showing 76.9% COVID-19 cases, 83.9% of hospitalizations and 78.3% 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: 64
Atascadero: 33
Templeton: 19
Shandon: 8
San Miguel: 6
South County
Nipomo: 29
- Arroyo Grande: 28
Grover Beach: 10
Oceano: 7
Pismo Beach: 6
SLO and North Coast
San Luis Obispo: 22
Los Osos: 8
Cambria: 4
Cayucos: 3
Morro Bay: 3
Cal Poly (campus residents): 2
San Simeon: 2
The locations of 13 cases were listed as “other.” A total of 160 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: 1,177
- Recovered cases: 26,698
- People recovering at home: 1,145
- People receiving hospital care: 32
- Total people in intensive care units: 6
People in intensive care units out of the county: 1
- Deaths due to COVID-19: 324
Here are the total number of COVID-19 cases in communities throughout San Luis Obispo County.
- Paso Robles: 5,765
- San Luis Obispo: 5,190
Atascadero: 3,036
California Men’s Colony: 2,382
Arroyo Grande: 2,099
Nipomo: 2,078
Grover Beach: 1,213
Templeton: 1,017
Oceano: 877
Los Osos: 715
San Miguel: 687
Cal Poly (campus residents): 672
Morro Bay: 605
Pismo Beach: 492
Cambria: 269
Santa Margarita: 224
Atascadero State Hospital: 211
Shandon: 195
Cayucos: 113
Creston: 113
Avila Beach: 47
San Simeon: 35
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, Grover Beach, Paso Robles and Morro Bay. To make an appointment, visit emergencySLO.org/testing or call 888-634-1123 to register by phone.
To make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine, visit MyTurn.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255. 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 shots at pharmacies near you, visit Vaccines.gov.
For more information, visit RecoverSLO.org/en/when-and-where-can-you-get-vaccinated.aspx.
