San Luis Obispo County has seen a spike in new COVID cases and hospitalizations for serious infections since last Wednesday, according to Public Health data.
The sudden surge has caused the 14-day rolling average of new cases to rise eightfold in just one month, from eight on April 23 to 67 on Wednesday.
The increase is due to the spread of the highly contagious BA.2.12.1 variant throughout the community, said Dr. Penny Borenstein, county health officer, in a press release.
“While we don’t need to panic, we are now in a situation where it is prudent to take precautionary measures,” Borenstein said.
Public health is also currently responding to coronavirus outbreaks in 24 communities across the county, according to the press release.
A total of 586 new COVID cases have been added since last Wednesday, according to the latest data from . These numbers are underestimated because widespread home antigen testing is not included in the county totals.
This is how the local coronavirus case numbers for the last seven days break down day by day:
The number of active cases rose to 661 on Wednesday from 398 last week. It’s an increase of more than 250 current COVID infections between this week and last week and a six-fold increase from the number of active cases registered two months ago.
“These case numbers tell us it’s time to use the tools we have to mitigate risk: be careful at gatherings, wear your mask in crowded spaces, stay home and get tested if you are sick,” said Borenstein. “For those over 50 who have been wondering when to get a second refresher, I would suggest now is the time.”
While there were no new deaths over the past week, Public Health reported that 13 people were being treated at local hospitals on Wednesday, according to Public Health. Two patients are in local intensive care units.
Locally, 501 people have died from COVID since March 2020.
The agency released data on May 25 showing that unvaccinated people accounted for about 64% of COVID-19 cases, 74% of hospitalizations and 67% of deaths since June 15.
In the past seven days, these are the top coronavirus cases by city: 160 in San Luis Obispo, 73 in Paso Robles, and 56 in Atascadero.
To see the full breakdown by city, visit the Public Health Dashboard at www.slocounty.ca.gov/COVID-19/Data.aspx
Where to get a COVID-19 test and schedule a vaccination appointment
Free coronavirus tests are available at clinics in San Luis Obispo, Grover Beach and Paso Robles.
To schedule an appointment, visit slocounty.ca.gov/COVID-19/COVID-19-Testing or call 888-634-1123 to schedule a phone call.
Testing will be conducted at 801 Grand Ave in San Luis Obispo, 1336 Ramona Ave #A in Grover Beach and 800 Pine Street in Paso Robles.
To schedule an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot, call 805-781-5500 or the clinic location to make an appointment. The county public health department is also administering vaccines and booster shots 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 delivered at the San Luis Obispo Clinic on Johnson Ave. 2191, at the Grover Beach Clinic at 286 South 16th St. and at the Paso Robles Clinic at 723 Walnut Drive.
Visit slocounty.ca.gov/COVID-19/Vaccines for more information on office hours
Do you suffer from long COVID? The tribune wants to speak to you
The prevalence of long COVID in San Luis Obispo County is not known at this time, but we want to know how living with the ongoing side effects of COVID-19 may have impacted the lives of affected community members.
Fill out the form below to share your story and help us shape our future COVID-19 coverage. You can also fill out the form at bit.ly/slolongcovid.
This story was originally published May 26, 2022 11:06 am.
