Santa Barbara County is reporting 22 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, bringing the county's total to 1,496 cases as of May 18.
Health officials say seven of the new cases are inmates at the federal prison in Lompoc.
Of the community cases, 27 are hospitalized, including eleven patients who are in the ICU. Another 426 people have fully recovered.
Santa Barbara County has had eleven deaths attributed to COVID-19.
County Supervisor Gregg Hart said Monday that county health officials have been negotiating with the California Department of Public Health to provide greater flexibility to allow more businesses to reopen. He said the CDPH has agreed that it will not include the inmate cases at the Lompoc federal prison in the county's overall case count when it considers the county's attestation for reopening.
Hart said it is unknown when the county will receive final authorization from the state to reopen.
Three coronavirus testing sites remain open to the community in Santa Barbara County -- at the Santa Maria Fairpark, the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara, and the Anderson Recreation Center in Lompoc.
Appointments are required at all testing sites. To make an appointment, visit https://lhi.care/covidtesting or call 888-634-1123.
For more information on the county's COVID-19 response, visit publichealthsbc.org.