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Three counties northwest of Los Angeles are experiencing alarming spikes in coronavirus cases, further heightening the level of infections in already hard-hit Southern California and triggering fresh fears about potentially overtaxing local healthcare systems.
Conditions in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties have worsened considerably due to a post-holiday surge of the virus, with the average number of daily new cases more than doubling the rate seen two weeks ago, according to data compiled by The Times.
Infections in Ventura County have risen so rapidly that one doctor publicly wondered whether the area could face its own “New York moment.”
Marian Regional Medical Center Longtime Leader to Leave; New Division CEO Named
Julie Sprengel will oversee CommonSpirit Health s newly expanded Southern California Division with the departure of longtime executive Chuck Cova
Julie Sprengel has been appointed president of the newly expanded Southern California Division for CommonSpirit Health, the parent company for Dignity Health, as Chuck Cova’s tenure comes to an end. (Courtesy photos) By Janene Scully, Noozhawk North County Editor | @JaneneScully
January 7, 2021
| 8:33 p.m.
A longtime leader at Marian Regional Medical Center will leave, and a new president has been named to oversee an expanded Southern California Division that includes the Central Coast.
Marian Regional Medical Center president, CEO leaving after 38 years lompocrecord.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from lompocrecord.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Hospital workers and emergency responders across San Luis Obispo and Northern Santa Barbara counties got their first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine during the week of Dec. 14. A shipment of 1,950 doses arrived at the SLO County Public Health Department on Dec. 16, and two days later, the county vaccinated its first five residents, including Marla Howard, a hemodialysis nurse at Davita Dialysis Centers and a Morro Bay resident. click to enlarge Photo By Jayson Mellom
AMONG THE FIRST Dr. Trees Ritter, an infectious disease specialist with Dignity Health, was among the first Central Coast health care workers to receive a COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 17. He said after, I honestly didn t even feel it.
SLO County ICU availability drops, hospital leaders concerned
December 17, 2020
While the state reported the Southern California region is at 0% intensive care unit (ICU) availability on Thursday, San Luis Obispo County has approximately 40% ICU beds unused.
The Southern California region includes medical facilities in Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. While space can be found for patients, there is not enough trained staff to care for the increase in patents in some areas.
A letter co-signed by leaders at French Hospital Medical Center, Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, Twin Cities Community Hospital and Arroyo Grande Community Hospital warns of the dire consequences local hospitals face because of the surge in coronavirus cases.