2 new deaths and 41 hospitalizations as COVID surge continues in SLO County
Two more San Luis Obispo County residents died from COVID-19, the Public Health Department reported Tuesday, as the number of positive cases continues to skyrocket.
The two cases were in the 50-69 age group — one in their 50s and on in their 60s — and bring the total number of deaths since the pandemic started here nearly two years ago to 375.
“These deaths are a sobering reminder that COVID-19 can be extremely serious,” said Dr. Penny Borenstein, County Health officer, in a news release. “I ask everyone in our community to join the fight to stop this surge, protect each other, and preserve our hospital capacity: Get vaccinated and boosted, avoid gatherings, and mask up in indoor public spaces. If you’re sick, stay home and get tested.”
Over the last four days, 1,121 new COVID cases were reported, pushing the 14-day average to 283. The number of active cases now stands at 1,967.
Hospitalizations also continue to rise, with 41 people now receiving inpatient treatment, including eight in the intensive care unit.
Local health officials warned that the spread of the two contagious variants, omicron and delta, could cause the local health system to be overwhelmed if these trends continue. Typically, hospitalizations increase a few weeks after a coronavirus surge.
The intensive care unit bed capacity is currently at 53% in the county.
About 75% of COVID-19 cases sequenced in the county are omicron and about 25% are delta, according to local health data.
The spread of the highly contagious omicron variant has also spurred a run on testing that in turn is pushing up positivity numbers to levels never seen before in the course of the pandemic.
As of Jan. 3, according to state data, SLO County’s positivity rate stands at 19.2%, meaning one in five administered tests here are coming back positive for COVID-19.
To put that in perspective, that figure is nearly double the next-highest positivity rate of 11.1% at the height of last winter’s surge on Jan. 11, 2021.
The case rate per 100,000 is also off the charts, spiking to 102.3 on Jan. 3 for the average of the previous seven days. The next highest rate was 56.6 on Aug. 30, 2021.
Below is how the new cases over the past four days breaks down, day by day.
New COVID-19 cases by city
Here is where new COVID-19 cases were added in San Luis Obispo County, according to the county public health department:
North County
Paso Robles: 177
Atascadero: 126
Templeton: 51
San Miguel: 17
Shandon: 11
Santa Margarita: 5
Atascadero State Hospital: 3
Creston: 2
South County
Arroyo Grande: 93
Nipomo: 62
Grover Beach: 50
Oceano: 26
Pismo Beach: 25
Avila Beach: 5
SLO and North Coast
San Luis Obispo: 344
Morro Bay: 38
Los Osos: 31
Cayucos: 20
Cambria: 15
Cal Poly (campus residents): 3
California Men’s Colony: 2
San Simeon: 2
The locations of 26 cases were listed as “other.” A total of 241 cases remained under investigation.
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 slocounty.ca.gov/COVID-19/COVID-19-Testing or call 888-634-1123 to register by phone.
Testing is administered at 801 Grand Ave in San Luis Obispo, 1336 Ramona Ave #A in Grover Beach, 209 Surf St. in Morro Bay and 800 Pine St. in Paso Robles.
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.
Vaccines are administered at 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 slocounty.ca.gov/COVID-19/Vaccines