SLO County adds 154 new COVID cases as number in intensive care rises

After experiencing a downward trend in COVID-19 hospitalizations, San Luis Obispo County is now seeing a new uptick in patients that has pushed the number of people in intensive care units to the highest level in almost six weeks.

On Friday, the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department reported eight COVID-19 patients in local ICUs, with 22 people receiving hospital treatment in total. Just two weeks ago, only two COVID-19 patients were in ICUs at area hospitals.

Public Health reported no new deaths during the three-day period from Wednesday to Friday. Since March 2020, 349 people have died from COVID-19.

Overall, 154 new daily cases were reported on Friday. That total pushed the county’s active cases up to 315, a slight increase from Tuesday, when the number dropped below 300 for the first time in months.

The 14-day average number of daily cases stands at 42 and has hovered around that level for the better part of the last month.

The trend line for the county’s 14-day average has dipped down and flattened out since the height of the Delta variant surge in late August and early September. However, the county is still seeing two-week averages that are higher than those a year ago, as residents headed into the holiday season before vaccine distribution began.

Last September and October, the 14-day average held steady in the 20s until early November.

On Nov. 6, 2020, it rose to 31, which marked the beginning of the winter surge that eventually peaked with a 14-day average of 331 cases in mid-January.

Three-day COVID-19 case breakdown

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 individual cases, hospitalizations and deaths involve vaccinated and unvaccinated people due to resource limitations and privacy concerns.

Instead, Public Health is releasing weekly 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. 29 released data showing that unvaccinated people account for 77.7% of COVID-19 cases, 82.7% of hospitalizations and 75.3% of deaths since June 15.

New COVID-19 cases by city

Here is where new COVID-19 cases were added in San Luis Obispo County, according to ReadySLO.org:

North County

• Paso Robles: 29

• Atascadero: 11

• San Miguel: 7

• Templeton: 5

• Santa Margarita: 2

South County

• Arroyo Grande: 19

• Nipomo: 16

• Grover Beach: 12

• Oceano: 6

• Avila Beach: 1

• Pismo Beach: 1

SLO and North Coast

• San Luis Obispo: 30

• Morro Bay: 5

• Los Osos: 4

• Cal Poly (campus residents): 2

• California Men’s Colony: 1

• Cambria: 1

• Cayucos: 1

The locations of 16 cases were listed as “other.” A total of 167 cases remained under investigation.

SLO County coronavirus cases by the numbers

Here are the total number of COVID-19 cases in communities throughout San Luis Obispo County.

• Paso Robles: 6,015
• San Luis Obispo: 5,402

• Atascadero: 3,179

• California Men’s Colony: 2,383

• Arroyo Grande: 2,285

• Nipomo: 2,251

• Grover Beach: 1,288

• Templeton: 1,066

• Oceano: 927

• Los Osos: 770

• San Miguel: 729

• Cal Poly (campus residents): 692

• Morro Bay: 647

• Pismo Beach: 530

• Cambria: 280

• Santa Margarita: 233

• Shandon: 231

• Atascadero State Hospital: 212

• Cayucos: 120

• Creston: 119

• Avila Beach: 52

• San Simeon: 38

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 or booster, visit MyTurn.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255. The county Public Health Department is also administering vaccines and boosters 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.

The clinics are open Monday and Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed noon to 1 p.m. for lunch), and Saturdays for vaccines only from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The San Luis Obispo clinic is located at 2191 Johnson Ave., the Grover Beach clinic is located at 286 South 16th St. and the Paso Robles clinic is located at 800 Pine St.

For more information, visit RecoverSLO.org/en/when-and-where-can-you-get-vaccinated.aspx.

This story was originally published November 5, 2021 at 2:14 PM.