205 W 5th Ave Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
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Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Kittitas County, WA - 01/10/2022 - The Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) has received information of individuals accessing emergency services to determine COVID-19 status. Please utilize emergency responders for emergencies only.
As anticipated, there is an increasing number of COVID-19 positive individuals. On January 5, KCPHD received a record high of approximately 160 cases in one day. We continue to see approximately 100 cases a day. KCPHD personnel are strained. Kittitas Valley Healthcare (KVH) saw the highest numbers of individuals accessing their COVID-19 testing facilities since the pandemic began. KVH personnel are strained. KCPHD will be notifying school-aged individuals and individuals over 70 years of age today regarding a positive COVID-19 case status. Because of a prioritized response, there are hundreds of positive cases who may not be notified, so we ask that if you can access your testing results to please do so. If you tested at a location that uses Labcorp, such as Kittitas Valley Healthcare (KVH), you may visit https://www.labcorp.com/frequently-asked-questions/patient/testing-information/all to create an account and view results online. The Labcorp link also provides additional information about when results should be ready and what to do if you are unable to access your results. Individuals who have signed up to use the KVH patient portal can also access test results via the KVH portal. Please do not contact KCPHD for test results. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and recently tested for COVID-19, please proceed as though you are positive for COVID-19 until you learn otherwise. Please use the most recent CDC updates for isolation and quarantine. You can find that information via DOH or CDC online. Once KCPHD notifies the 70-year age group, we will move forward to the 60-year-old population in addition to school-aged individuals. We anticipate the high volume of COVID-19 to continue through the month of January. Our focus will be to prioritize cases that can have broader transmission or outbreak potential. The COVID-19 vaccine is available to everyone 5 years of age and older. The booster is available to everyone 12 years of age and older. Please use vetted websites such as Washington State Department of Health (DOH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with the Washington State COVID-19 website for more information regarding COVID-19. If you are having a medical emergency, please do not hesitate to contact emergency responders. Examples of when to call 911 include trouble breathing or unable to breathe, symptoms of a heart attack, severe or persistent vomiting, or other serious and life-threatening conditions. Please do not call 911 if it is not an emergency. Examples of non-emergencies include being tested for COVID-19, transportation to a doctor’s appointment, or an injury that is not life threatening.
Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us
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Contact: Kasey Knutson, Public Information Officer, 509-962-7515