GRANT COUNTY, Wash. — Health officials in Grant County say they are not seeing reductions in positive tests for the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
"We are not even close to containment. We are still in the active mitigation stage,” said Grant County Health Officer Dr. Alex Brzezny on Monday morning.
As of Sunday evening, there are two coronavirus deaths among 115 cases in Grant County, according to the state Department of Health.
The increase in cases seems to be attributed to people not adhering to Washington state’s “stay home” order, said leaders with the Grant County Joint Information Center on Facebook.
"We are well aware that people are going stir crazy staying at home and want to get out and do something different,” said Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones. “But when they do that, they are not paying attention to social distancing. They are still gathering in these close groups.”
In an email sent to KREM on April 6, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office reported that many people who visited the Moses Lake Sand Dunes over the weekend were not practicing social distancing.
Sheriff Jones says he will have no choice but to close the dunes completely if these reports continue.
"If I was in a position to shut down the sand dunes, then we would actually put barriers across roadways,” he said.
If it comes to this, and people try to access the dunes while they are closed, they could receive a criminal trespassing citation.
Theresa Adkinson with the Grant County Health District added that the area is two to three weeks behind the Puget Sound area's coronavirus outbreak.
Health officials in Spokane County echoed this sentiment last week.
“I don’t think we are seeing a flattening of the curve yet [in eastern Washington]. But my hope is that the worst is behind us,” said Spokane County Health Officer Dr. Bob Lutz.
However, Dr. Lutz said on Monday the number of cases have increased but they are leveling off, which he called encouraging. He added that the gradual decrease in numbers is a "note for guarded optimism."
Meanwhile, a medical professional in Wenatchee reported an increase of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in the area over the weekend.
Dr. Mabel Bodell, a nephrologist with Confluence Health, said 11 out of 19 patients in the hospital’s intensive care unit on Friday night had coronavirus. Five were in critical condition at the time and receiving pronation, where the patient is laid facedown so their lungs can receive more oxygen.
“Most of the critically ill patients in the ICU are Latino,” Dr. Bodell said. “I am asking for your help, we have to stop this epidemic now. The time is now, protect yourself and protect your family. Please stay home and save lives.”
In Chelan County, where Wenatchee is located, there are five coronavirus deaths among 54 cases as of Sunday.