Officials at the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department reported 450 COVID-19 cases and two deaths Monday. The county has a total of 199 deaths and 21,767 cases, of which 2,704 are still infectious.
One of the deceased was over 70 years of age and lived in the unincorporated North County area including the communities of Sisquoc, Casamila, Garey, Cuyama, New Cuyama and the city of Guadalupe.
The second was between 50 to 69 years of age and resided in Goleta. Neither had underlying medical conditions, and neither death was associated with an outbreak at a congregate living facility.
Santa Maria confirmed 132 daily cases, bringing its total to 7,807 COVID-19 cases. Officials deem 784 cases still infectious.
Santa Barbara counted 117 cases and has a total of 3,642 cases; 573 are active. Lompoc reported 40 cases Monday, which increases its total to 2,212 — of which 252 are still infectious.
Goleta found 36 new cases, which brings the city’s total to 1,070 cases. Of those, 196 are active.
Daily COVID-19 cases were also reported in: Orcutt, 31 cases (1178 total, 171 active); the unincorporated area of the Goleta Valley and Gaviota, 18 cases (710 total, 113 active); the South County area including the communities of Montecito, Summerland and the City of Carpinteria, 17 cases (749 total, 167 active); the Santa Ynez Valley, 16 cases (595 total, 126 active); Isla Vista, eight cases (724 total, 39 active); the unincorporated areas of Sisquoc, Casmalia, Garey, Cuyama, New Cuyama, and the city of Guadalupe, eight cases (877 total, 86 active).
The geographic locations of 27 cases are still pending.
A total of 1,003 health care workers have been infected with COVID-19.
Countywide, 193 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized; 56 are in intensive care.
Cottage Health reports 97 patients in isolation with COVID-19 symptoms. Of those, 24 are in critical care.
Of its 45 ICU beds, Cottage Health has eight available. Only 22 of its 98 adult ventilators are in use.
During Governor Gavin Newsom’s COVID-19 update Monday, he said the state is expecting 1,000 nurses to start serving hospitals this week. He anticipates more nurses in coming weeks as well.
He is asking for the federal government to send more health care workers to provide staffing in underserved areas.
A total of 117 patients are at decompression sites set up by the state. These locations help COVID-19 patients recover when hospitals are at surge capacity. Staffing these sites continues to be a challenge.
Statewide, counties are administering vaccines to those in Phase 1a, which contains health care workers and residents in long-term care facilities.
In the University of California system, 2% of health care workers have declined the vaccine.
A total of 783,476 vaccines have been administered. The state’s goal is to add 1 million more vaccinations this week.
To expedite the process, Dodger Stadium, Petco Park in San Diego (home of the San Diego Padres) and CalEXPO will open as large vaccination sites.
email: ahanshaw@newspress.com
