SLO County announces 15 healthcare workers test positive for COVID-19
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- San Luis Obispo County has announced 15 healthcare workers have tested positive for COVID-19.
SLO County Public Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein made the disclosure Thursday during the county's daily COVID-19 response press conference.
She also announced there are now 89 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the county.
"This is the first time we're reporting it," said Dr. Borenstein. "Out of the 89 cases, 15 of those are healthcare workers."
Dr. Borenstein did not specify where the workers are employed or the exact nature of their jobs.
The only information that was given was they are from a broad range of medical-related occupations.
"It is a real mix," said Dr. Borenstein. "Some are from hospitals. Some are from clinics. One, at least, is an EMS worker, emergency medical services, worker on the frontlines in the field. Not all of them are direct healthcare providers. We are including in that category, individuals that work at a clinic, so a front desk staff would be included as well."
San Luis Obispo County reports daily COVID-19 numbers, including number of cases, number of patients recovered, people in the hospital, geographic distribution and other data.
Dr. Borenstein added the healthcare worker total for the first time on Thursday, but said she would not provide regular updates to that category moving forward.
"I think it's important for our public to understand it is our healthcare workers that are really in the firing line in this pandemic, and they are not immune to this disease," said Dr. Borenstein. "That is not an insignificant number, that 15, basically one out of every six we have tested positive for this disease are in fact healthcare workers."
There have been 89 positive cases in San Luis Obispo County, with eight people currently in the hospital.
Three of the individuals in the hospital are in intensive care.
So far, there have been no known deaths from COVID-19 in the county.
There are also 48 people that are now listed as recovered.
Most cases are in the North County with 38, followed by South County with 20.
The coastal region has 11 cases and the central part of the county has 10.
For more information, visit ReadySLO.org.
