Santa Barbara, Calif. – A sheriff’s deputy is recovering at home after testing positive for COVID-19. The deputy last worked patrol in the Santa Maria area on Friday, April 3, 2020. During that shift, the deputy began experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms and went home. The deputy was tested on Saturday, April 4, 2020 and self-isolated at home in San Luis Obispo County while awaiting the test results. On Tuesday, April 7, 2020, the test returned as positive for COVID-19.
After consulting with the Public Health Department, no one else was isolated as a result of this new case.
This is the seventh Sheriff’s Office employee to test positive for COVID-19.