COVID-19 Update: July 13, 2022

The Santa Barbara County Health Department reports in the past week there was a 10% increase in the weekly average of new COVID-19 cases. This number is expected to be even higher due to underreporting of positive at-home antigen tests.

Santa Barbara county reported 57 COVID-19 patients in the hospital on Monday July 11th, the highest reported since mid-February.

Between July 1st and July 6th, there were 596 new cases reported, and four deaths over the last week.

Officials are reporting a 0.6% increase in test positivity compared to previous weeks, the current rate is 15.3%.

"There continues to be a high level of virus transmission in the community. BA.4 and BA.5 are now the dominant strains in the southern West Coast (including California) and the Nation.“

The Public Health Department strongly encourages individuals to wear a mask in public indoor settings.

Los Angeles County Public Health is considering implementing an indoor mask mandate if the county goes into “high” levels of COVID-19 for three weeks in a row.

Find more info on Santa Barbara County Public Health’s website.