Santa Barbara County reported eleven new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 228 as of April 8.
Of those cases, 37 patients are in the hospital, including 17 in the ICU.
Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg says 112 patients are recovering at home and 69 are fully recovered. The health department is awaiting status updates on eight additional patients.
Two people in Santa Barbara County have died as a result of COVID-19.
Dr. Ansorg says the county is working with administration and staff at the federal prison in Lompoc to contain an outbreak of COVID-19. As of Wednesday, 30 inmates and 14 staff members have tested positive for the virus.
Dr. Ansorg says the increasing number of cases in Santa Barbara County is following a linear path, which he says is reassuring and a direct result of the community's efforts to slow down the spread of coronavirus. He says the county is meeting its ongoing goal to limit the spread of the virus as much as possible, but everyone must continue social distancing, practicing good hygiene, and wearing face coverings.
For more information on the COVID-19 response in Santa Barbara County, visit publichealthsbc.org. To speak to someone, call the Santa Barbara County Call Center at (833) 688-5551 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
This article has been edited to reflect the correct number of new cases in Santa Barbara County is eleven. While the previous day's total count was 218, county officials say a duplicate case was identified in Tuesday's reporting, bringing the total to 228 confirmed cases.