Most COVID-19 cases at long-term care facility outbreak tied to one person

Officials waiting for 1B, 1C designations

One more COVID-19 positive connected to an outbreak at a Clallam County long-term care facility was reported Monday, raising the total number of cases tied to the facility to 19.

Clallam County Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry Unthank said 18 of the cases have been traced to a single employee.

“We’re not seeing cases of ongoing transmission, which is good,” she said in a Monday interview.

Berry Unthank said 10 staff and nine residents of the care facility have tested positive for COVID-19.

In all, Clallam County reported five new positives Monday, giving it 766 cases since the pandemic began last March. The county has 52 active cases and one person in the hospital. A previously hospitalized patient has been discharged, according to public health data.

The Clallam County infection rate is 121 per 100,000 population during the past two weeks, down from much of November and December but still in the state’s high-risk category. The test positivity rate is 2.7 percent, although it was higher — 4.9 percent — from Dec. 18 to Jan. 1.

Jefferson County has reported 233 total cases since last March, with five additional cases reported late Monday. The county has as many as 19 active cases in isolation.

The Jefferson County infection rate has grown from 62.70 per 100,000 last week as there have been 13 positives since Thursday. The test positivity rate is 1.48 percent, and the infection rate is 87.77 per 100,000, in the state’s moderate-risk range.

Jefferson and Clallam counties may break the 1,000-case barrier combined today. The North Olympic Peninsula counties have reported a total of 999 COVID-19 positives since last March.

Vaccinations

Berry Unthank said Clallam County will finish vaccinating members of the 1A group this week. These people include first responders, frontline health care workers and patients and staff at long-term care facilities.

Clallam and Jefferson counties continue to wait word from the state Department of Health on which specific groups will be included in the 1B and 1C designations, the next to receive vaccinations. Likely members of the 1B group may include people older than 75 and people with high-risk underlying health problems such as diabetes, cancer or other immunity deficiencies.

“There’s so many people deserving,” Berry Unthank said.

Other essential workers such as grocery store employees may end up in the 1C group.

Berry Unthank said the 1B group vaccinations could begin as early as mid-January.

“Age is probably the most significant factor,” Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Tom Locke told the Board of County Commissioners at his weekly update Monday.

Locke said local officials have been hoping to receive official word from the state on the 1B and 1C designations.

“We need them sooner rather than later,” he said.

Locke also said Jefferson County has administered 970 vaccines so far and has 980 ready to go for a second round of shots for first responders. He said a second shipment of vaccines is expected possibly as early as today.

“We’ve vaccinated 61 percent of our 1A group,” he said. “We don’t think we’ll get to 100 percent. We don’t think 100 percent will consent.”

Locke said there a state website called Phase Finder will help tell Washington residents where they might be in line for the vaccine. That site is expected to go online as early as Wednesday.

In addition to information regarding 1B and 1C vaccine categories, schools also are waiting guidance from the state in the next day or two regarding new metrics for allowing athletics and extra-curricular activities at schools.

Holidays

Berry Unthank said there hasn’t been a noticeable uptick in Clallam County from the holiday period, but she stressed it’s too early to tell if there will be a case surge from people traveling.

“It’s still pretty early,” she said. “We can’t get too excited yet.

Berry Unthank said no one has reported directly to her anything about large New Year’s Eve parties, but she hoped people didn’t hold large gatherings for the holiday.

“I hope people would keep gatherings small and outside,” she said.

________

Sports editor Pierre LaBossiere can be reached by email at plabossiere@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Peninsula College nursing students, from left, Emily Haddock of Lewiston, Idaho, Jordan Hegtvedt of Sequim and Chaela Cashman of Port Angeles adjust each other’s mortar boards in preparation for commencement ceremonies on Saturday on the college’s Port Angeles campus. A total of 328 students were expected to take part in two ceremonies with 530 students eligible for diplomas and certificates for the 2024-25 academic year. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Graduation prep

Peninsula College nursing students, from left, Emily Haddock of Lewiston, Idaho, Jordan… Continue reading

Next steps outlined in Olympic Medical Center process

CEO: Update on status will be ‘coming soon’

Cooling centers would extend hours, if needed

Summer forecast calls for warmer, smokier conditions, public health specialist says

Elwha River bridge set to be demolished

Clallam commissioners receive road construction updates

Sequim city staff are considering next options for a house and various outbuildings in Gerhardt Park after a recent surplus auction resulted in no bids. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim considers options for house in park

Public provided no bids during process that ended June 6

Three injured following crash near Forks

Three people were injured following a two-car collision on state… Continue reading

Power outage scheduled for West End customers

Clallam County Public Utility District No. 1 has announced a… Continue reading

Chimacum High School senior Jesse Daniels takes crazy cell phone photos of his classmates while waiting to march to the gym for his graduation ceremony at Chimacum High on Saturday. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Lasting memories

Chimacum High School senior Jesse Daniels takes crazy cell phone photos of… Continue reading

Cadence Harlan and Sophia Petta lead their class of 99 Port Townsend High School graduating seniors through the Rhododendron Garden at Fort Worden State Park on Friday for their graduation ceremony at McCurdy Pavilion. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Graduation walk

Cadence Harlan and Sophia Petta lead their class of 99 Port Townsend… Continue reading

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula
Carrie Blake Community Park, pictured last summer, returns as a Summer Meal Program destination through the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula and the Department of Agriculture. Meals are offered to children ages 1-18 from noon to 12:30 p.m. in the park on weekdays, except July 4, through Aug. 27.
Free student meals programs start in Port Angeles, Sequim

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula has launched its… Continue reading

Security exercise set for Wednesday at Indian Island

Naval Magazine Indian Island will conduct a security training… Continue reading

Carissa Guiley of Silverdale, left, along with daughters Mia Guiley, 5, and Evelyn Guiley, 8, peer over a rocky bluff at a sea stack in Crescent Bay on Saturday near Port Crescent. The family was on an outing at Salt Creek County Recreation Area. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
What’s over the edge?

Carissa Guiley of Silverdale, left, along with daughters Mia Guiley, 5, and… Continue reading