COVID-19: SLO County reports 576 new cases, eight more deaths
–The County of San Luis Obispo reported 576 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday.
The number reflects a backlog of cases after what appeared to be a lull, due to a new process by the state to rapidly assign suspected cases to a jurisdiction. Cases must then be inspected at the local level and reclassified as a confirmed case by a local health official to ensure the accuracy of local data. This new process caused a slight backlog of the number of new confirmed cases reported locally, creating an artificial lull. Regardless, the health department says that COVID-19 transmission is surging in SLO County and everyone should be taking extra precautions to stop the surge.
Active cases are currently at 2,245. The record for active coronavirus cases in San Luis Obispo County was broken the Wednesday before Christmas eve with 2,257 cases.
The county has now recorded a total of 10,178 cases since the pandemic began. Currently, 58 people are hospitalized, with 11 in the ICU. Hospitalizations and ICU capacity rates are real-time data and have not been affected by the lag, according to the county health department.
The county reports eight more people died from the virus, bringing the total to 82 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.
Sadly, today we report that 8 more local community members between the ages of 60 and 100 have died of COVID-19. Our hearts go out to those who lost their life to this virus as well as to their loved ones, who are grieving today. (1/2)
— SLO Public Health (@SLOPublicHealth) December 30, 2020
To view detailed statistics, click here.
For more information, visit www.ReadySLO.org or call the recorded Public Health Information Line at (805) 788-2903. A staffed phone assistance center at (805) 543-2444 is available Monday – Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to assist with questions related to COVID-19.
