There was one new COVID-19 death reported in Santa Barbara County on Thursday, an Orcutt resident between the ages of 50 and 69 with underlying health conditions.
According to the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department’s daily status update, the deceased individual was not associated with an outbreak in a congregate living facility.
In addition to the one death, there were 172 new daily cases reported Thursday, bringing the county’s total cases up to 12,808 and its still active cases up to 816.
A plurality of Thursday’s daily cases, 52, were located in Santa Maria. A total of 28 were in Santa Barbara, 26 were in Lompoc, 13 were in Orcutt, nine were in Goleta, seven were in the Santa Ynez Valley, five were in the South County unincorporated area, and three were in Isla Vista.
There were also seven daily cases scattered throughout the unincorporated areas of Sisquoc, Casmalia, Garey, Cuyama, New Cuyama, and the city of Guadalupe.
The locations for thirteen daily cases are still pending.
A plurality of the county’s still infectious cases, 226, are in Santa Maria. Some 157 are in Santa Barbara, 120 are in Lompoc, 63 are in Orcutt, 44 are in Goleta, 35 are in the unincorporated area of the Goleta Valley and Gaviota, 31 are in the Santa Ynez Valley, 16 are in Isla Vista, and four are in the Lompoc Federal Prison.
Twenty-one still infectious cases are scattered throughout the unincorporated areas of Sisquoc, Casmalia, Garey, Cuyama, New Cuyama, and the city of Guadalupe.
The locations of 64 still infectious cases are pending.
According to the Santa Barbara County community data dashboard, 62% of hospital beds in Santa Barbara County are in use. Of the 651 total beds, 401 are in use, and 64 of those are for COVID-19.
The county’s staffed ICU capacity was at 49% early Thursday evening. Of the 99 total ICU beds, 50 are in use and 12 of those 50 are for COVID-19 patients.
About 11% of Santa Barbara County’s 131 total ventilators are in use. Of the 14 units in use, seven are for COVID-19 patients.
The Santa Barbara County Probation Department announced in a press release Thursday that a juvenile institutions officer assigned to the Santa Maria Juvenile Hall tested positive for COVID-19. The officer is experiencing mild symptoms, but improving and self-isolating at home.
According to the release, the probation department is conducting contact tracing with the Santa Barbara County Health Department and will test all youth and staff who had contact with the officer.
Montecito resident, talk show host, and comedian Ellen DeGeneres announced on Twitter Thursday that she has tested positive for COVID-19 but is “feeling fine right now.” In her statement, she said that everyone who has had contact with her has been notified and that she is following all CDC guidelines.
email: jgrega@newspress.com
