Santa Barbara County is reporting the deaths of three more people who tested positive for COVID-19.
Health officials say all three had underlying health conditions and lived in congregate living facilities. Two of the patients were over the age of 70 and one was between the ages of 18 and 29. One lived in Santa Maria, one lived in Goleta, and the third was an inmate at the federal prison in Lompoc.
According to the Public Health Department, the inmate's death is not associated with the current outbreak at the prison. Rather, the reporting of the death had been delayed because of the coroner verification process.
Santa Barbara County also added 196 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the county's total to 13,957 confirmed cases as of December 16.
Eighty-nine people are currently hospitalized, including 21 patients who are in the ICU. Health officials say 12,676 people have recovered.
Breakdown of cases by location:
- Santa Maria - 5,376
- Santa Barbara - 2,053
- Lompoc - 1,489
- Lompoc federal prison - 1,038
- Orcutt - 663
- Isla Vista - 591
- Guadalupe and North County unincorporated areas (Sisquoc, Casmalia, Garey, Cuyama, New Cuyama) - 593
- Goleta - 509
- Unincorporated Goleta Valley and Gaviota - 376
- Carpinteria and South County unincorporated areas (Montecito, Summerland) - 383
- Santa Ynez Valley (Solvang, Buellton, Santa Ynez, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Ballard) - 313
An additional 573 cases are listed as "pending" location.
Three free community coronavirus testing sites are open in Santa Maria, Buellton, and Goleta.
Additional testing will be available at the Public Health Testing Site in Santa Maria through Friday, Dec. 18.
Appointments are required at all locations. Click here for information on how to make an appointment.
For more information on the county's COVID-19 response, visit publichealthsbc.org.