The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (PHD) is confirming five more positive cases of COVID-19 in the county, in addition to case #3, shared Wednesday evening and a ninth case was revealed during a phone conference with health officials and state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, Assemblymember Monique Limon and Congressman Salud Carbajal. 

This makes nine total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Santa Barbara County at this time.

  • Case #3—in their 60s, resides in North County, and is a family member of case #1.

  • Case #4—in their 20s and resides in South County

  • Case #5—in their 50s and resides in South County

  • Case #6—in their 30s and resides in North County

  • Case #7—in their 30s and resides in North County

  • Case #8—in their 50s and resides in South County

     

PHD is taking steps to identify persons who may have had close contact with these people, including friends, family members, or health care professionals. PHD is conducting a thorough investigation to determine how the latest five cases contracted COVID-19.

Mandated social distancing measures are in place to slow the spread of the virus. All large nonessential professional, social, and community gatherings should be postponed or cancelled, and smaller gatherings should be modified to allow for at least six feet of space between participants.

“We are urging our community to stay home when they are sick and practice consistent social distancing practices, shared Van Do-Reynoso, Public Health Director for Santa Barbara County. “It is critical that we all take the necessary steps to slow the spread of this illness in our community.”

Community members are reminded to take measures to prevent the spread of respiratory illness:

  • Wash your hands with soap and water

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick

  • Stay away from people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and

    cough

  • Keep surfaces clean by wiping them down with a household disinfectant

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