Santa Barbara County bars and breweries to close again as coronavirus numbers surge

Santa Barbara County reported 96 new COVID-19 cases Monday, the largest one-day total since early May.

The latest surge in cases was reported on the same day that the county Public Health Department ordered most bars, breweries and brewpubs to close, effective Wednesday morning.

The county also reported its 30th COVID-19 death — a Santa Maria resident over the age of 70.

Half of the new cases reported Monday — 48 — are in the city of Santa Maria, with 17 in Santa Barbara and seven in Goleta.

Of the remaining cases, five are in the unincorporated area of the South Coast, four are in the unincorporated areas of the Santa Maria Valley, three each are in Orcutt and the unincorporated areas of the Goleta Valley, two are in Lompoc, and one is in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Details were pending on six cases.

The bar-closure order comes a day after Gov. Gavin Newsom recommended that action for Santa Barbara and seven other counties.

Newsom also issued an order closing bars in seven counties seeing surges in COVID-19 cases.

Santa Barbara County was reporting 60 COVID-19 patients being treated in local hospitals, with 21 in intensive care units, as of Monday.

Los Angeles County, facing a large spike in COVID-19 cases, announced Monday that it would close its beaches over the coming July 4 weekend.

Asked how that might affect Santa Barbara County, Van Do-Reynoso, the county’s public health director, told Noozhawk late Monday night that local health officials “are worried about the increase of visitors to our beaches as a result” of the L.A. County closure.

“We were in a similar situation in March and April, and we responded by monitoring our county beaches for overcrowding, and closed the respective beach when social distancing was not possible,” Do-Reynoso said. “Our county team will be in discussion tomorrow about the best strategy for this weekend, given the added concern that we are experiencing increasing cases.”

Fourth of July fireworks shows, parades and other events have been canceled locally and elsewhere due to the pandemic and concerns of large crowds.

The Public Health Department lists 29 COVID-19 deaths on its website, because one inmate death at the Lompoc federal correctional complex is reportedly awaiting an autopsy before being included in the final count. The Bureau of Prisons reported that death in May.

— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com.