Coronavirus updates: Beach closure debunked, 8 Santa Barbara County patients have died
San Luis Obispo County had 184 coronavirus cases as of Thursday, adding three new cases in Paso Robles.
Those include five inmates at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo.
As officials across the state work to slow the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Gavin Newsom closed all Orange County beaches.
Meanwhile, thousands of local residents are out of work due to stay-at-home orders — and struggling to pay rent.
Here are your local updates for Thursday:
SLO County adds 3 new coronavirus cases
San Luis Obispo County added three new coronavirus cases Thursday, bringing the total number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 to 184, according to ReadySLO.org.
The county is still investigating the route of transmission for all three cases that came out of Paso Robles.
Seven patients are currently in the hospital, and two are receiving treatment in the intensive care unit.
Gov. Newsom debunks statewide beach closure rumors
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that all Orange County beaches will close to enforce the statewide shelter-in-place order and reduce the spread of coronavirus.
A memo by the California Chiefs Association had stated that all California beaches will close, but the governor’s order only affected those in Orange County.
New coronavirus cases at Lompoc federal prison
The U.S. Bureau of Prisons has reported an increased number of positive COVID-19 cases for Lompoc Federal Correctional Complex inmates, but the number of new cases differs depending on where you get the data.
On Wednesday, BOP Director Michael Carvajal spoke in a video message as the agency reported 83 positive inmate tests for the U. S. Penitentiary at Lompoc, compared to 70 the day before.
At the adjacent Lompoc Federal Correctional Institution, 36 inmates had positive tests, compared with 22 a day earlier.
Those numbers differ from data reported by the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, which attributed only one new prison coronavirus case on Wednesday for a total of 105, not the 119 claimed by BOP.
Santa Barbara County resident dies from COVID-19
A Santa Maria resident in their 60s with underlying health conditions has died of COVID-19, bringing Santa Barbara County’s total number of deaths to eight on Wednesday afternoon.
Santa Maria has the highest concentration of coronavirus cases in Santa Barbara County with 130 cases and two deaths, according to the Public Health Department.
The county also reported eight new confirmed cases Wednesday, for a county total of 485.
Can’t pay rent due to coronavirus? Know your rights
Thousands of local residents are out of work due to stay-at-home orders designed to curb the spread of the new coronavirus — and that means many tenants are likely short on rent money.
But that doesn’t mean landlords can kick renters out of their homes.
The Tribune contacted the San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation and California Rural Legal Assistance to answer to common questions about coronavirus rental housing rules.
SLO County restaurants team up to feed medical workers
About 20 businesses in San Luis Obispo County, most of them restaurants, have formed a GoFundMe coalition to feed medical workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.
The businesses aim to raise $50,000, to provide regular meals, as well as other food and drinks, to healthcare workers at hospitals, senior care facilities, veterans clinics and urgent care centers.
So far, the coalition has raised more than $27,000 via its Feeding SLO Frontliners fundraising campaign and provided hundreds of free meals to workers such as doctors, nurses, ambulance drivers and janitorial staff.
More CMC inmates test positive for COVID-19
Eight inmates from the California Men’s Colony have tested positive for COVID-19, prompting San Luis Obispo County to send a response team to the San Luis Obispo prison to prevent against a larger outbreak.
The county Public Health Department on Wednesday announced that five inmates at the all-male state prison were among the eight newest coronavirus cases.
To date, the facility has reported eight inmates and one employee who have tested positive.
Correction: A previous headline incorrectly stated that SLO County beaches would close. The story has since been updated to reflect that only Orange County beaches will close.
This story was originally published April 30, 2020 at 10:53 AM with the headline "Coronavirus updates: Beach closure debunked, 8 Santa Barbara County patients have died."
