Lompoc federal prison adds 14 coronavirus cases after inmate’s death

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department reported another 22 cases of COVID-19 — with 14 of them at the Lompoc Federal Penitentiary.

Santa Barbara County Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg provided the information at Monday’s COVID-19 press conference, a day ahead of Tuesday’s Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors meeting where health officials are expected to release demographic information for COVID-19 cases.

Overall, the number of confirmed cases in the county is 416; four people have died, including one Lompoc prison inmate. Overall, 96 prison inmates have tested positive for the virus. The prison, in partnership with the Public Health Department, plans to build a temporary 100-bed hospital on the penitentiary’s grounds in coming days.

“Although you may not see a large number of cases in your own community, please know that COVID-19 is circulating and physical distancing efforts are the only way to slow its spread,” Ansorg said.

Of the total cases, 168 are recovering at home; 43 are hospitalized; 15 are in an intensive care unit; and 176 have fully recovered.

In addition to the 14 cases at the prison, three more are from Lompoc, two in Santa Barbara, two in Santa Maria and one in the unincorporated areas of Sisquoc, Casmalia, Garey, Cuyama, New Cuyama, and the city of Guadalupe.

At Cottage Health, 18 of the hospital’s 139 patients are in isolation with COVID-19 symptoms; 13 have tested positive for the virus.

Also at the press conference, Lori Goodman, executive director of the Isla Vista Youth Project, said during normal times the center serves 127 children from zero to 5 years old in its child care program. They serve food to about 150 people during a normal month.

“In the last quarter we have served food to more than 1,000 individuals,” Goodman said.

Last week, 72 families comprising more than 200 people visited the center for food.

The group is doing food distribution by appointment at its Family Resource Center.

The organization has also partnered with Goleta company Equalitech to provide Chromebooks to preschool teachers to communicate with families.

“I am really focused on that digital divide and what a difference that makes if people don’t have access to a computer and they don’t have computer literacy,” Goodman said.

Gregg Hart, chair of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, also offered information on how undocumented workers can access the $75 million in funds made available recently by the state. Undocumented adults are eligible to receive $500 checks for a maximum of $1,000 per household. Local nonprofit organizations with connections to undocumented worker groups are working with that population to distribute the assistance checks.

“This assistance is incredibly important as our undocumented neighbors do not qualify for unemployment insurance, the federal stimulus checks, or other government assistance,” Hart said.