Twenty-three new COVID-19 cases were reported Thursday in Santa Barbara County.
Of them, 11 were in Santa Maria, according to the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department. One was at the federal prison complex in Lompoc.
The rest break down to three in Santa Barbara, two in the unincorporated area of Goleta Valley and Gaviota, four in various other unincorporated areas and the city of Guadalupe, and two in the “pending” category.
The additional cases bring the county’s total to 1,737. Of those, 1,581 are recovered cases.
The number of deaths remains at 14.
COVID-19 continues to affect people of various age groups. Thursday’s 23 new cases consisted of nine among ages 18-29, 10 for ages 30-49, two for ages 50-69, one in the 70-plus group and one in the “suppressed” category.
In other COVID-19 news Thursday, Santa Barbara County announced the new RISE Ambassadors. They will help local businesses understand guidelines for reopening and ensure the public enjoys a safe reopening business, according to a news release.
RISE stands for Reopening in Safe Environment.
The RISE Ambassadors will consist of members of the Community Wellness Team.
For more information, go to publichealthsbc.org/business-resources.