Released by Pacific County's Public Health and Human Services Department on Wednesday, July 22.

SOUTH BEND — The majority of covid-19 cases in Pacific County involved people living in the south end of the county.

After Pacific County’s covid-19 case count rose to 26, county health officials on Wednesday, July 22, gave more detailed information about where sick residents lived. The information was released during the county’s weekly covid-19 community forum.

Out of the 26 cases connected to Pacific County, 22 of the cases involved people living in the county at the time of their diagnosis. Of those 22 cases, 15 involved people living in South Pacific County, while seven involved people living in North Pacific County.

The line dividing the county was drawn east to west through the town of Nemah, which is about the midpoint for the county.

Stephanie Michael, health manager for the health department, emphasized the disease is not limited to one part of the county, regardless of where the cases appear on the map.

“It is throughout the county, it is everywhere,” Michael said.

It is important everyone is wearing masks and trying to limit social contact, she said.

There could be a lot of reasons why there are more cases in south county, said Katie Lindstrom, director of the Pacific County Public Health and Human Services Department. More testing participation early on in south county as well as an outbreak at a seafood processing plant in Astoria might have contributed to the higher numbers.

At this time, the county is monitoring eight active cases, while 18 cases are no longer being monitored.

Three of the 26 total cases involved a hospitalization. One person, who was not living in Pacific County at the time of their diagnosis, died as a result of complications from covid-19. 

Health officials in Pacific County have conducted about 1,200 to 1,500 covid-19 tests as of Wednesday, July 22. Test results are beginning to come back quicker this week, Michael said. In previous weeks, the county was waiting up to a week to get results back. 

Pacific County COVID Community Forums

Every Wednesday, Jun 10 – Aug 26 at 11:30am

Open to the public. Click link below to join. 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84282447783