Edhat StaffBy edhat staff
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (PHD) added 91 new COVID-19 cases as the hospitalizations decrease by one.
The county’s grand total is now 6,021 with 349 active cases, meaning these have currently tested positive and are infectious.
There are 79 hospitalizations including 24 in the intensive care unit (ICU), one less from Tuesday.
More data can be found at publichealthsbc.org/status-reports/.
Cottage Health Specific Data
Below is a status update as of July 29, 2020.
- Cottage Health is caring for a total of 277 patients across all campuses.
- 220 are acute care patients; 168 acute care beds remain available.
- Of the 220 acute care patients, 13 patients are on ventilators.
77 ventilators remain available (adult, pediatric and neonatal ventilators). - Of the 220 acute care patients, 30 are in isolation with COVID-19 symptoms;
28 are confirmed COVID-19 positive. - Of the 30 patients in isolation, 11 patients are in critical care.
- From July 13-19:
4,256 COVID-19 laboratory tests were collected by Cottage Health.
Results: 260 positive, 3,994 negative, 2 pending - From July 20-26:
3,730 COVID-19 laboratory tests were collected by Cottage Health.
Results: 202 positive, 2,984 negative, 544 pending
Ways to Help in the Fight Against COVID-19
The community can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by frequent handwashing, physical distancing and wearing face coverings. Community members can also help save lives by donating blood and plasma.
Dr. Lynn Fitzgibbons is Director of Quality and Research, Medical Education, and Associate Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Cottage Health. Dr. Fitzgibbons notes, “Physicians and patients are battling against COVID-19 with limited tools available to treat this new virus, as the world’s scientific community focuses intensely on the research that will lead us to the best treatments. At Cottage Health, we are very interested in the potential of convalescent plasma as a tool for fighting the virus in the most severe cases when patients are hospitalized. We rely on the generosity of recovered patients to donate their plasma. It can help us to help others.”
One person with COVID-19 antibodies can donate multiple units of plasma, potentially making a difference in the lives of several more people.
Give Blood: Community members who are healthy can help patients in the hospital by giving blood at their local Vitalant blood donation center. Giving blood now could identify even more opportunity to help. All blood donations are tested for antibodies that could help hospitalized patients recover from COVID-19. If antibodies are found, the donor can apply to donate plasma. Vitalant offers a list of Central Coast blood donation centers at vitalant.org. Note: Vitalant does not provide testing for COVID-19, and people should not donate blood if they are sick.
Give Plasma: People who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past and have fully recovered can apply directly with Vitalant to donate convalescent plasma to help others fighting the virus. Plasma donors must be symptom-free for 28 days prior to a donation. For details, visit vitalant.org/covidfree or call 866-CV-PLSMA (866-287-5762).
Great news! Our Active Cases average in the mid 300 range for the last couple months.
Plenty of room in our ICU if needed.
“13 patients are on ventilators.
77 ventilators remain available (adult, pediatric and neonatal ventilators).”
Misleading info. There are 79 patients in the hospital with Covid, but this article states, “ Cottage Health is caring for a total of 277 patients across all campuses.”
So there are 198 non Covid cases out of the 277 cases. Why state there are “277 patients” in a Covid article ?
If it’s to show that our hospitals are well below capacity, say so. Don’t be sly and try to make people think there are 277 Covid cads when that’s not true.