First COVID death in 4 weeks reported as SLO County sees uptick in cases

One person has died as San Luis Obispo County experiences a small but significant uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases reported locally, the Public Health Department said Wednesday.

This is the first COVID death in the past four weeks, according to a news release. Locally, 497 people have died from the virus.

Public Health reported five people were receiving treatment in area hospitals on Wednesday, with none in the intensive care unit.

This is the highest number of hospitalizations since March 31, but far fewer than the 67 hospitalizations seen during the winter surge.

Since last Wednesday, San Luis Obispo County has added 105 new coronavirus cases. The number of new COVID-19 cases pushed the two-week average up from 9 last week to 13 as of Wednesday.

After four days in the single digits early in the week, the last two days saw new case counts in the 30s.

That has pushed up the number of active cases reported by Public Health to 251 as of Wednesday, up from 183 on April 20.

“These numbers show only a small portion of cases because so many people are now using rapid or at-home tests, which are not reported. For that reason, it’s helpful to look at the general trends in this data, which show a small but meaningful increase,” said Dr. Penny Borenstein, County Health officer.

Public Health is also responding to four COVID outbreaks in congregate settings, the release said.

Here’s how local coronavirus case numbers from the past seven days break down day by day:

In total, 53,709 San Luis Obispo County residents have tested positive for coronavirus since March 2020.

The agency on April 27 released data showing that unvaccinated people account for about 64.5% of COVID-19 cases, 74% of hospitalizations and 68% of deaths since June 15.

“COVID-19 is still circulating in our community and time-tested precautions — getting vaccinated and boosted, washing your hands often, masking in crowded places, and testing if you have symptoms or have been exposed — are still key to protecting yourself and your family.”

Over the past seven days these are the top coronavirus cases by city: 65 in San Luis Obispo, 15 in Atascadero and 11 in Pismo Beach.

To see the full city by city breakdown, visit the Public Health dashboard at www.slocounty.ca.gov/COVID-19/Data.aspx

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 and Paso Robles.

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 and 800 Pine Street in Paso Robles.

To make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine or booster, call 805-781-5500 or the clinic site to schedule an appointment . The county Public Health Department is also administering vaccines and boosters on a walk-in basis at public health clinics in San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles and Grover Beach. To find shots at pharmacies near you, visit Vaccines.gov.

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 723 Walnut Drive.

For more information on clinic hours, visit slocounty.ca.gov/COVID-19/Vaccines

Are you suffering from long COVID? The Tribune wants to speak with you

The prevalence of long COVID in San Luis Obispo County is currently unknown, but we want to learn how living with the lingering side effects of COVID-19 may have impacted the lives of impacted community members.

Fill out the form below to share your story and help us shape our COVID-19 coverage moving forward. You can also fill out the form at bit.ly/slolongcovid.

This story was originally published April 27, 2022 at 3:54 PM.