County COVID-19 count still at one

DAYTON–The count of coronavirus infections in Columbia County remains at one, and the individual who contracted the disease has recovered and is off quarantine as of the Dayton Chronicle's press deadline Tuesday, according to Martha Lanman, administrator of the Columbia County Public Health Department.

There have been 14 other individuals tested for COVID-19 and all have returned negative. There are 10 pending tests, according to the March 23 Situation Report issued by the Public Health Department.

The department is monitoring self-quarantined patients twice daily.

Lanman, speaking to an emergency meeting of the County Commissioners (BOCC) last week, expressed frustration at the number of days between testing and lab results. "It's frustrating because some of the tests have been out there-today [March 18] is day six of the tests being gone," she said.

Lanman said two additional nurses are on staff, their employment recently approved by the BOCC.

"We're having health-care meetings with every other week with EMS (Emergency Medical Services), fire, hospital, infectious control, lab and everything like that so that we, A: can understand all the changes that you're seeing that are changing for the public, behind the scenes are changing regulations for what we report and how we report and where we report and if we report," she said.

In neighboring Walla Walla County, a second positive patient was diagnosed March 24, according to the Walla Walla County Department of Community Health (DCH). The woman, in her twenties, is under home isolation for 14 days, until fever-free for 72 hours, the DCH reported.

"We understand our community wants details about each case," said Meghan DeBolt, Director. "However, we (the DCH) will not report on the exact location of the case. We want the community to know that we are doing a thorough investigation, instructing each case and contact to stay home under isolation, and we are calling them daily for monitoring purposes."

The first case was reported March 21 concerned a Walla Walla County man in his forties who is under home isolation for fourteen days until he is fever free for 72 hours.

Walla Walla County counts 191 persons under investigation with tests pending. There have been 101 individuals tested negative, according to the DCH.

In Washington state, 31 of the 39 counties report 2,469 infections and 123 deaths. King County lists 1,277 positives and 94 deaths, Snohomish County records 614 cases and 16 deaths, and Pierce County has 138 positives and 1 death, accounting for 111 of the state's 123 fatalities, 90% of the state's deaths. Clark County in southwest Washington is the next leading state with four dead. Whatcom and Benton counties each have two deaths.

Nationwide, there have been 44,183 total cases, 479 related to travel, 569 resulting from close contact and 43,135 causes under investigation. There have been 544 deaths in the U.S.

Global numbers from the World Health Organization indicate 372,757 confirmed cases and 16,231 deaths. In China, where the virus originated, there have been 81,171 cases and 3,277 deaths. Recovered numbers 73,159, according to WHO.