[ad_1]
The Public Health Department reported the COVID-19-related death of a Santa Maria resident Wednesday and 27 new positive cases throughout Santa Barbara County.
Local COVID-19 hospitalizations and the rate of new cases have been declining in recent days, Public Health Director Van Do-Reynoso said, although the numbers of positive cases in Goleta and Isla Vista have been on the rise.
She attributed part of the increase to college students moving back to the area as remote classes are set to start at Santa Barbara City College and UC Santa Barbara.
“We need an all-hands-on-deck effort in IV, but I don’t think we have it yet,” Third District County Supervisor Joan Hartmann said Tuesday.
There have been 82 COVID-19-related deaths reported in Santa Barbara County. The death reported Wednesday was of an individual who was over 70 years old, according to the Public Health Department.
Of the 22 deaths reported in August, officials have disclosed the dates for only four of them, and said some reporting may be delayed by as much as two months if the Coroner’s Bureau investigates the death.
“Although most cases of COVID-19 exhibit mild or moderate symptoms, the Public Health Department recommends additional measures to prevent exposure among vulnerable people, including the elderly and those with underlying health conditions (such as diabetes, cancer, immunodeficiency, asthma, COPD and others),” a department spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday.
Recommendations include staying home when possible; staying home when sick; staying 6 feet away from others; wearing a face covering when “engaging in tasks away from home”; and regularly washing hands with soap and water.
| New cases reported Aug. 19 | Active cases by area | Total reported cases by area | Deaths reported by area | |
| South County: Montecito, Summerland, Carpinteria | 0 | 1 | 168 | 6 |
| Santa Barbara and Mission Canyon | 4 | 27 | 991 | 10 |
| Goleta | 2 | 6 | 189 | 3 |
| Isla Vista | 1 | 20 | 128 | 0 |
| Western Goleta Valley and Gaviota | 2 | 12 | 139 | 1 |
| Santa Ynez Valley | 0 | 2 | 87 | 2 |
| Lompoc, Vandenberg Village, Mission Hills | 2 | 28 | 579 | 7 |
| Lompoc federal correctional complex | 0 | 0 | 1,019 | 3 |
| Santa Maria | 9 | 79 | 3,334 | 43 |
| Orcutt | 3 | 8 | 243 | 4 |
| North County: Guadalupe, Cuyama, New Cuyama, Garey, Casmalia, Sisquoc | 2 | 14 | 313 | 3 |
| Pending location | 2 | 34 | 318 | 0 |
| Santa Barbara County total | 27 | 231 | 7,508 | 82 |
Click here for Noozhawk’s Coronavirus section.
— Noozhawk managing editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
Our professional journalists are working round the clock to make sure you have the news and information you need in these uncertain times.
If you appreciate Noozhawk’s coronavirus coverage, and the rest of the local Santa Barbara County news we deliver to you 24/7, please become a member of our Hawks Club today.
You need us more than ever, and we need your support.
We provide special member benefits to show how much we appreciate your confidence.
[ad_2]
Source link