One new case of COVID-19 was confirmed Thursday in each of the North Olympic Peninsula counties.
The new case in Jefferson County is the first in almost three weeks.
Clallam County’s new case rate is 24 cases per 100,000 residents for the last two weeks as of Thursday, while Jefferson County’s rate is updated weekly online, so the data says zero, but the previous time the county had one confirmed case for two weeks the case rate was 3.13 cases per 100,000.
Both have a low-risk infection rate.
The newest case for Jefferson County is a female in her 20s, according to Jefferson County Public Health data.
Of the combined three newest cases in Clallam County confirmed Wednesday and Thursday, one case contracted the virus out of county and the other two contracted the virus through local transmission with one being a contact of another confirmed case and was already in quarantine, said Dr. Allison Unthank, Clallam County health officer.
The out-of-county case is a man who is currently hospitalized outside of the county. He is having some cardiac complications, said Unthank.
Both Clallam and Jefferson County health departments are continuing outreach and education regarding how to stay safe, as people prepare to start to spend more time indoors due to bad weather.
“Our case count has been really steady,” said Apple Martine, community health director for Jefferson County Public Health. “That can change at any time.
“We trying to do health and safety promotion through social media and on our website. We’re always keeping that up to date.
“Jefferson County has been doing a good job of maintaining some constancy through this and we’re lucky, we have a really aged population here and do not have any deaths in our county and very little hospitalizations,” she continued.
“I think that we’re doing a good job.”
Unthank reminded people that all the guidelines of handwashing, mask wearing and distancing still will need to be followed throughout fall and winter to avoid significant rises in cases.
“As it starts to get colder, we’re going to be tempted to come indoors and especially gather indoors, and it is still always safer to be outdoors and much better to just bundle up and gather outdoors for as long as possible if you’re going to be gathering,” Unthank said.
“If you are going to move any gatherings indoors, if you can, bundle up and open windows — that’s a good idea — and then certainly keep masking.”
Unthank also continues to work with the school districts that are preparing to allow some form of in-person education beginning Monday.
“So far, the protocols are in place, the details are in place, I think the biggest thing is just getting all the staff ready to start school with those protocols, and then I think next week there will be a lot of fine-tuning, just like how Jefferson has been having to do,” she said.
Clallam County has confirmed 248 cases of COVID-19 since March, with 11 active cases and one death, according to Clallam Count Public Health data.
Jefferson County has confirmed 72 cases of COVID-19 since March, with one active case and no deaths, according to Jefferson County Public Health data.
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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5, or at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.
