Submitted by San Juan County

San Juan County Health and Community Services staff was notified of one new positive COVID-19 test result in San Juan County, on San Juan Island on May 5. This brings the total number of cases in San Juan County to 15. It had been almost three weeks since the last case was confirmed.

The County Health Department’s Surveillance Team is actively contact tracing this new case, but so far have found no reason to anticipate a high risk for local transmission associated with this case.

Despite a long string of days with no positive test results, including a very encouraging completed effort to test more than 300 essential workers, residents of all islands need to remain vigilant and should still be working off the assumption that the illness is present in their community. Aggressive efforts to ensure hygiene, to limit social contact, and to remove any opportunity for disease transmission are essential.

San Juan County health officials remind everyone that if you feel sick and have mild symptoms, stay home. If you feel you have more serious symptoms or if you are at risk for severe illness, stay home and call your health provider. Do not go directly to a clinic or to the hospital. Follow your doctor or health provider’s direction. If you feel the situation is urgent and life-threatening, call 911.

For more information and if you have access to the internet, please visit our informational webpage at www.sjccovid.com. You can also visit the San Juan County Health and Community Services Facebook page. The San Juan County COVID-19 Hotline (360-370-7500) is staffed from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and the State of WA Hotline (800-525-0127) is staffed from 6 a.m.-10 p.m., 7 days a week.