With COVID-19 numbers reaching new heights in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties, health officials are asking people to follow COVID-19 protocols. Wear a mask, wash your hands often, and stay at home as much as possible. Large gatherings, such as this past Thanksgiving, are being blamed for the recent spike. Santa Barbara County added 2 more deaths of people who tested positive for the virus and added 207 new cases of COVID-19, for a new total of 13,763 confirmed cases. Santa Maria has the highest number of reported cases in the county, at 5,312.