Public health officials reported 81 new COVID-19 cases in Santa Barbara County on Wednesday, boosting the total over the last week to 421 cases, or just over 60 per day.

However, the number of COVID-19 patients being treated in local hospitals dropped slightly, even as those in intensive care units edged up.

There were 57 “community” COVID patients, which do not include Lompoc prison inmates, recovering in county hospitals, down from 61 the day before.

Twenty patients were in intensive care units, a number that rose slightly from Tuesday, when there were 19.

In the county, the number of coronavirus-related intensive care unit hospitalizations have been rising in recent days, from 12 on June 15.

The county’s total of confirmed coronavirus cases now stands at 2,590.

Half of the county’s new cases were in the Santa Maria Valley.

There were 36 in Santa Maria, and seven in the unincorporated areas of Sisquoc, Casmalia, Garey, Cuyama, New Cuyama and city of Guadalupe.

Santa Barbara had 18 new cases, with five in Lompoc and the communities of Mission Hills and Vandenberg Village, four in Goleta; two in the unincorporated Goleta Valley and Gaviota Coast; and one in Isla Vista.

The county Public Health Department reported two were Lompoc prison inmates and geographic location was pending on six cases.

There were 233 active “community” cases, down from more than 300 late last week. 

There were 176 people recovering at home and 1,077 who have fully recovered.

No new deaths from COVID-19 were announced on Wednesday, so the total remains at 27 people, including four prison inmates.

Click here to read the county Public Health Department’s information on coronavirus and COVID-19. 

Click here for Noozhawk’s Coronavirus section. 

— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.