Covid-19 update: Wahkiakum adds 6th case; courthouse to open Monday

A sixth case of covid-19 was reported in Wahkiakum County, according to the Department of Health website on Tuesday, with 331 tests having been conducted so far.

Nearby, the Cowlitz County case load is up to 374 cases, with 242 remaining active. Pacific County is reporting 26 cases. Across the river in Clatsop County, there have been 67 cases, with 12 considered active, and 63 confirmed cases in Columbia County.

And last Thursday, Gov. Jay Inslee announced revised coronavirus restrictions, limiting indoor and outdoor social gatherings for counties such as Wahkiakum which are in the third phase of a four-stage reopening plan to 10 people, down from 50.

Inslee said that additional rollbacks could occur, even a return to a stay-at-home order, if current trends continue. Statewide, there have been 48,575 cases, 5,161 hospitalizations and 1,465 deaths attributed to covid-18.

According to data released Tuesday by the state Department of Health, people 80 years old and older comprise 5 percent of cases, 20 percent of hospitalizations, and 51 percent of deaths. People aged 60-79 years comprise 15 percent of cases, 38 percent of hospitalizations and 38 percent of deaths.

People aged 40-59 years comprise 30 percent of cases, 28 percent of hospitalizations and 9 percent of deaths. People aged 20-39 years comprise 39 percent of cases, 13 percent of hospitalizations and 2 percent of deaths. People aged 19 years and younger comprise 11 percent of cases, 1 percent of hospitalizations and have recorded no deaths.

Courthouse set to reopen

On Tuesday, Wahkiakum County commissioners voted to open the courthouse to the public this Monday.

People entering the building are required to wear masks, and department heads can keep their offices closed if they feel protective measures for their office are incomplete.

A contractor is working this week to complete installation of clear partitions at counters to prevent spread of germs between the public and office staff.

Officials have struggled to find a way to implement 6-foot paths for people passing in hallways and stairways.

"There's not a great solution," said Emergency Management Director Beau Renfro.

"I think you'll have to come up with a plan and modify it as it progresses," said Commissioner Gene Strong.

Bottle necks will include elevator landings and the lobby of the auditor's office.

Auditor Nicci Bergseng said her staff have set up three outdoor ballot collection boxes, one at the entrance of the courthouse by the courtroom, another along the highway in Skamokawa, and a third at Johnson Park in Rosburg.