The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department reported 535 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, raising the county’s total to 22,769 cases. A total of 3,256 cases are still infectious.
Officials also confirmed seven deaths Wednesday. All were 70 years of age or older and had underlying health conditions; four deaths were associated with an outbreak at a congregate living facility.
Three of the deceased resided in Santa Barbara; one lived in Goleta; two lived in the Santa Ynez Valley, and one resided in the North County area containing the areas of Sisquoc, Casmalia, Garey, Cuyama, New Cuyama and the city of Guadalupe.
Santa Maria reported 196 of Wednesday’s daily cases, increasing its total to 8,133 cases of which 1,001 are active.
Santa Barbara counted 103 cases and has a new total of 3,843, of which 668 are still infectious. Lompoc confirmed the third most number of cases: 74. Its new total is 2,330, and 307 are active.
The following areas also confirmed daily cases Wednesday: Orcutt, 41 cases (1,252 total, 225 active); the south county area including the areas of Montecito, Summerland and the city of Carpinteria, 23 cases (809 total, 199 active); the Santa Ynez Valley, 20 cases (628 total, 136 active); the north county area including the communities of of Sisquoc, Casmalia, Garey, Cuyama, New Cuyama and the city of Guadalupe, 18 cases (909 total, 100 active); the unincorporated area of the Goleta, nine cases (738 total, 121 active); Isla Vista, two cases (751 total, 60 active).
The county has a total of 199 COVID-19 patients recovering in hospitals, and 54 are in the ICU. Santa Barbara County has 12.4% ICU availability; the adjusted rate is 0%, designating surge capacity.
A total of 10,212 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered countywide as of Tuesday. Sav-On and Vons pharmacy locations across the county have begun administering the vaccine to people in the Phase 1a population.
Cottage Health issued an update on Wednesday, stating that it is caring for a total of 294 patients across all campuses. Of those, 208 are acute care patients, 22 of whom are on ventilators. Some 89 acute care patients are in isolation with COVID-19 symptoms, including 83 who are confirmed COVID-19 positive. Some 24 patients are in critical care.
The adult critical care availability capacity at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital was at 6.7% on Tuesday.
email: ahanshaw@newspress.com
