Stay-at-home orders unlikely to end soon
Intensive care units have dipped to 6.7% availability, according to Monday’s status update by the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital reports an adult critical care available capacity of 26.7%.
Governor Gavin Newsom updated the public Monday on the status of his regional stay-at-home order, hospital capacity and vaccine distribution.
His order, which was set to expire, has been extended. He did not give an estimate of when the Southern California region could reopen.
Officials will give an update today after reviewing the four-week ICU predictions.
The County of Santa Barbara Health Officer Order No. 2020-12.17, established Dec. 23, limits capacity allowances, requires modifications and issues closures for some businesses. It extends until 11:59 p.m. Jan. 21.
The Public Health Department reported an additional 214 COVID-19 cases Monday, increasing the county’s casecount to 16476 of which 1104 are still infectious.
No new deaths were recorded, though one had been previously misidentified as an Isla Vista resident. It has now moved to Santa Barbara’s total deceased.
The City of Santa Maria had the most new cases: 66. Its new total is 6,199 cases and 366 active cases.
Close behind, the City of Santa Barbara confirmed 62 cases, bringing its total to 2,561 and 230 active.
The City of Goleta and the City of Lompoc both reported 14 cases. Goleta has had a total of 691 cases, of which 83 are active. Lompoc has a total of 1,735 cases and 85 still infectious.
The following areas also reported COVID-19 cases: Orcutt, 13 cases (822 total, 70 active); the unincorporated area of the Goleta Valley and Gaviota, 12 cases (498 total, 56 active); Santa Ynez Valley, seven cases (404 total, 44 active); the South County area including Montecito, Summerland and Carpinteria, four cases (458 total, 32 active); Isla Vista, two cases (651 total, 22 active); and the unincorporated areas of Sisquoc, Casmalia, Garey, Cuyama, New Cuyama, and the City of Guadalupe, two cases (664 total, 21 active).
The locations of 18 cases are pending.
email: ahanshaw@newspress.com
