The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department reported the COVID-19-related deaths of two Santa Maria residents on Wednesday, bringing the county’s cumulative death toll one person shy of 500.
One of the people who died was between the ages of 30 and 49, the other was between the ages of 50 and 69, and both had underlying medical conditions.
Neither death was associated with a congregate-living facility, according to Public Health.
There have been 15 deaths reported over the past two weeks, and all but one were among North County residents.
Public Health officials also reported 49 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, making for 471 active cases countywide.
There were 18 cases reported in the Santa Maria Valley and 10 in Santa Barbara. The Goleta Valley and the Santa Ynez Valley each added seven new cases, and the Lompoc Valley added three.
There were no new cases reported in the unincorporated areas of South County or in Isla Vista, and four cases were still pending geographic locations.
Of the new cases reported Wednesday, 16 were among the 30-49 age group, 12 were among people under the age of 17, 11 were in the 18-29 age group, eight were in the 50-69 age group, and two were among people over the age of 70.
There were 52 patients hospitalized for the virus on Wednesday, with 13 being treated in intensive-care units.
— Noozhawk staff writer Jade Martinez-Pogue can be reached at jmartinez-pogue@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.