Health leaders discuss second COVID-19 death, first responders testing positive and prison outbreak

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Supervisor Gregg Hart announced another death due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Over the past weekend, a second Santa Barbara County resident died from COVID-19. Our hearts go out to the family," said the Chairman of the board.

Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg said both of the people who died were in their 60s and had underlying conditions.

"We have had two deaths, unfortunately, over the weekend we reported a second death of COVID-19, and this person was hospitalized at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara and succumbed to the illness."

Dr. Ansorg also reported 18 new cases, bringing the total locally to 192. He said 110 are recovering at home, and 42 have fully recovered.

Information about locations of the cases may be found at publichealthsbc.org.

Dr. Ansorg said 19 patients, more than half of the 34 people hospitalized in the county, are in ICUs.

Many of those patients have lung problems.

"Those have shortness of breath, they require supplemental oxygen, and at some point, when the lungs get really infected it, may require ventilation in the intensive care unit, those are the sickest."

A majority of the sick are men and some people who tested positive are health care workers on the front lines.

Public Health Director Van Do-Reynoso said, "We can confirm that 37 workers have tested positive for COVID-19."

Lompoc prison is also dealing with an outbreak.

"At the penitentiary in Lompoc, at least 28 people have tested positive."

She said the raw numbers don't tell the whole story, but they are looking for trends.

It is more widespread than the confirmed cases indicate.

"We are able to provide testing for a vulnerable subset of our community, but there are likely far more cases than what our testing indicates," said Dr. Ansorg.

Lab Director Dr. Steward Comer said social distancing appears to be working.

"Our positivity rate tends to stay very stable in the 6-8 range," said Comer.

He said they are doing about 80 to 90 tests a day and will be talking about ramping up testing with quicker turn arounds next week.

Physical distancing is critical. That means Easter and Passover should be celebrated in new ways.

Gregg Hart said, "As I walked around my neighborhood, I heard church services broadcasting from an empty church to parishioners viewing at home, and I also heard of very innovative ways Passover Seders will be shared virtually with friends and family this year."

To make the most of your downtime, Hart, the son of the library director, said you can still use your library card to download audiobooks and e-books.

"You can go to your community library webpages or blackgold.org."

A new pilot program will now deliver books that you can hold onto until the pandemic is over.​

From now on, Santa Barbara County and Santa Barbara County Public Health plans to hold COVID-19 conferences on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays unless there is urgent news to deliver.