This page includes daily updates including case counts and demographics. Updates for COVID-19 in Grant County will be posted as information becomes available.

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For information and frequently asked questions about COVID-19, please see our COVID-19 Information Page.

For additional resources on COVID-19 including guidance for businesses and farms, community links, and educational signs, please see our Resources Page.



To see the data as graphs, please visit the Grant County COVID-19 Tracker page created by a community member.

COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) in Grant County















Clinical status at time of interview

Tables will be updated by 5:00pm Monday through Friday.

Case Count Last Updated: 9/16/2020 - 6:00 PM Positive PCR (includes deaths) 2769 Positive Antigen (including deaths) 55 Total Positive Cases (including deaths) 2824 Deaths 18 Currently Hospitalized 10 Pending Death Certificate Review 1 Recovered** 1864

For additional testing data including positives, negatives, and percent positive, please see the WA Dept of Health COVID-19 Dashboard.

Pending Death Certificate Review: GCHD notified of death of a person diagnosed with COVID-19, but death certificate is not yet available for review to verify cause of death.

Recovered: Counted 28 days after GCHD was notified of positive test results if patient is not hospitalized or deceased. Cases listed as recovered may still be symptomatic and may have long-term health effects from COVID-19. Numbers are updated once a week.

Probable: Individuals that have COVID-19 symptoms and are a close contact of a confirmed case. (not being reported at this time)

Sex (at birth) Male 1537 Female 1286

Age Range in Years 0-18 394 19-40 1359 41-60 779 61-80 249 81+ 41

Community of Residence Coulee City Area (Coulee City, Hartline) 1 (unable to confirm) Ephrata 207 Grand Coulee Area (Electric City, Grand Coulee, Coulee Dam) 7 Mattawa Area (Beverly, Desert Aire, Mattawa, Schwana) 444 Moses Lake 821

Othello Rural (Grant County) 69 Quincy Area (Crescent Bar, George, Quincy) 749

Royal City 299 Soap Lake 40 Warden 180 Wilson Creek Area (Krupp, Marlin, Wilson Creek) 4

(Demographic data may not add up to the number of total reported cases due to cases being under investigation.)

September 17, 2020 – 6:00 pm

Twenty-four (24) cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today (RT-PCR=22, antigen=2). Cases are residents of Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, and Mattawa. Demographics can be found above. Some demographics are still unknown due to still being under investigation.

Why get tested for COVID-19 tomorrow in Moses Lake or Quincy on Saturday??? Because, knowing if you have COVID will help your community to open back up. Get our children back into school. And this goes on.

How???? We can assure you Grant County, this is not the state coming in to shut you down, in fact, our testing numbers are down, which increases our positive rate which is a very important metric for moving to the next phase and opening our schools back up. We need to have a better understanding of the rate, right now we are over 20% positive, way too high. When residents are asymptomatic, refuse to go get tested, and continue to work and go to school, then our entire community suffers. You’ve seen our deaths increase and schools remain closed to in person learning for all students. We know we won’t convince some of you. But for the rest of you, this opportunity really is a gift to our community. In fact in Okanogan County, they were pleasantly surprised to see how few positives they had. Knowing this data has helped their local community leaders with their planning efforts to get their schools reopened. We anticipate lots of negatives as well! Because we know how hard many of you have worked to limit your gatherings and masking up! But we’ll be here to help the positive residents to inform their vulnerable loved ones to slow the spread to friends and family.

September 16, 2020 – 6:30pm

Twenty-six (26) cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today (RT-PCR=25, antigen=1). Cases are residents of Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, and Warden. Demographics can be found above.



Just a reminder, we will not be offering the free testing event tomorrow in Moses Lake. We will be having the event on Friday in Moses Lake at the Fairgrounds and in Quincy on Saturday at the Quincy High School. The events will run from 9:00am-6:30pm each day. Events are free and open to anyone who wants to be tested.

September 15, 2020 – 5:00pm

Fourteen (14) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today (RT-PCR=11, Antigen=3). Cases are residents of Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Royal City, rural Othello, and Warden. Demographics can be found above.



Grant County Health District is reporting the 18th COVID-19 associated death in a Grant County resident. The resident was a female in her 70s from Mattawa. The resident had medical conditions putting her at higher risk for severe complications of COVID-19. This death brings the total Grant County COVID-19-related deaths to eighteen (18).



As our community experiences an additional loss of a resident, our hearts are with her family and friends. On behalf of our staff, Grant County Health Officer, and Board of Health, we are so sorry for your loss.



Grant County Health District delays the announcement of COVID-19 associated deaths to give families time to notify their loved ones. We also verify COVID-19 is listed as a cause of death on the death certificate to ensure we are not reporting deaths that are not attributed to COVID-19. All reported deaths of Grant County residents are attributed to COVID-19 and were verified with the death certificate, testing, and other case information.



Our most vulnerable community members — elderly, immunocompromised, and those with chronic conditions — are especially at risk and we must continue to take measures to protect them from this disease. For the health of your family, neighbors, and friends, it is critical to wear a face covering in pubic and limit the size of your gatherings. Each personal decision we make will impact our most vulnerable residents.



Everyone can do their part to protect one another and limit the spread of illness in our communities:

Wear a face covering anytime you are in public or around people you do not live with.

Stay home if you feel sick or are under quarantine or isolation orders.

Use physical distancing and stay 6 feet away from others as much as possible when you are in pubic or at work.

Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, especially before eating or coming home. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

Limit social gatherings, like BBQS, birthday parties, and other get-togethers to no more than 5 people outside your household.

Our Regional Epidemiologist updated the following graphs with daily case counts and case rate per 100,000 residents per 14 days. Although the Grant County case rate has dropped over the last 2 weeks, we must continue to take all precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Our community, schools, and businesses are relying on you to help slow the spread of the virus in Grant County.

September 14, 2020 – 5:00pm

Ninety-seven (97) cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD since our last update (Fri=2, Sat=25, Sun=36, Mon=34). Ninety-five (95) results were from RT-PCR tests and 2 were from antigen testing. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy area, Royal City, Soap Lake, and Warden. Demographics can be seen above.



Grant County Health District, with support from many agencies, will be hosting free COVID-19 testing events in Moses Lake and Quincy later this week. These events are one-time surveillance events to increase access to COVID-19 testing with a goal of better understanding disease presence in our communities. If the smoke continues to make it unsafe to be outdoors, we may need to reschedule the events.



We are greatly appreciative of help from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Grant County Fairgrounds, Moses Lake Community Health Center, Quincy Police Department, Quincy School District, Atlas Genomics, Discovery Health, Lifeline Ambulance, and the WA Dept of Health. Without their assistance and support we would not be able to offer to this opportunity.

September 11, 2020 – 5:00pm

Eighteen (18) cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD since our last update (RT-PCR=17, Antigen=1). Cases are residents of Mattawa area, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy area, Royal City, and Warden. Demographics can be found above.





“If you’ve got red, itchy eyes and no fever right now, the good news is this is not generally a symptom of COVID-19. However, it can be a sign that the wildfire smoke in the air is affecting your body. If you have mild symptoms of smoke irritation, like itchy eyes or an irritated nose or throat, take steps to reduce your exposure to smoke now to prevent a more serious reaction.”



Here are some things you can do to stay safe:

* Stay indoors, with just members of your household. Remember, it is much easier to spread COVID-19 indoors than it is outdoors.

* Reduce outdoor physical activity. Save your walks, jogs, and yard work for a day when the air quality is better.

* Keep indoor air clean.



For more info see the WA DOH Blog: https://medium.com/wadepthealth/wildfire-smoke-covid-19-are-a-bad-mix-7890d1a49ca4

September 10, 2020 – 6:00pm

Forty-two (42) cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD since our last update (RT-PCR=40, Antigen=2). Cases are residents of Ephrata, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy, Royal City, and Warden. Twenty-nine (29) of the cases are associated with agricultural testing. Demographics can be found above.



This week’s Grant County COVID-19 snapshot shows the continued trend in lowering our rate of cases/100,000 residents/14 days. Hospitalizations are unfortunately up for the second week in a row.

September 9, 2020 – 5:00pm

Fifteen (15) cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today (PCR=12, Antigen=3). One previously reported case was found to be a resident of another county and was removed from our counts. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Moses Lake, Quincy area, and Warden. Demographics can be seen above.



Grant County Health District (GCHD) is reporting the 16th and 17th deaths associated with severe complications due to COVID-19 infection in a Grant County resident. The 16th case was a male Quincy resident in his 80s who died while hospitalized. The resident had underlying conditions putting him at higher risk for severe complications of COVID-19. The 17th case was a male Quincy resident in his 30s who died while hospitalized. The resident had no known underlying conditions. The graph shown includes the causes of death listed for all 17 Grant County residents we have reported. Of those 17 death certificates, 10 included “Other Conditions Contributing to Death”. The remaining 7 had no other conditions listed.



Additionally, Royal City School District is actively working with GCHD to investigate and contact trace four (5) COVID-19 cases: one (1) staff member and four (4) students from Red Rock Elementary, Intermediate School, and Middle School. At this point into the investigations, it is too early to assess whether there was any additional spread at schools. For now, the schools in Royal City remain open based on the local school board decision to offer some form of in-person learning, but given the rate of COVID in Grant County, there is a continued risk for COVID spread on campus. GCHD alongside the school district staff continues to look for any additional cases and any evidence of school-based spread or school outbreaks. The decision to close the schools will be based on finding spread or outbreaks on school premises or on the buses. GCHD would like to thank RSD staff and leadership for their continued partnership and dedication to disease prevention and contact tracing.



More information can be found on the full media release on our website: http://granthealth.org/2020-media-releases/

September 8, 2020 – 5:30pm

Eighty-six (86) cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD since our last update (Sat-23. Sun-39, Mon-9, Tues-15). Five (5) were results of antigen testing and eighty-one (81) were from RT-PCR testing. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy area, Royal City, Soap Lake, and Warden. Demographics can be seen above.



The trend in cases per day per the last 14 days is continuing to plateau and slowly decline. We hope this downward trend will continue!

September 4, 2020 – 5:00pm

Thirty-two (32) cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. All were from RT-PCR testing. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy area, and Royal City. Two previously reported cases were found to be residents of another county and were removed from our counts. Demographics can be found above.



A holiday weekend is the chance to relax and have some fun, but don’t let your celebration spread COVID-19. We know gatherings like backyard BBQs, parties, and other gatherings can lead to more cases of COVID-19. We also know how to stop that from happening, while having FUN:

Face coverings on! Make sure you wear a face covering anytime you are around people that you don’t live with including friends and family.

Under 5 people! If you do choose to gather together, keep you gatherings small and preferably outside.

No closer than 6 feet! Practice physical distancing and stay 6 feet away from those around you.

September 3, 2020 – 5:00pm

Forty (40) cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today (PCR-38, Antigen-2). Two (2) individuals previously tested positive with an antigen test were confirmed with a PCR test. Those cases were removed from the antigen count and moved to the PCR count. We also have an additional death under review. Cases are residents of Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, Soap Lake, and Warden. Demographics can be seen above.



This week’s snapshot shows the rate of COVID-19 cases is dropping, which is great news! The hospitalization rate did unfortunately increase over the last week. Just because rates are starting to decrease, doesn’t mean we can stop using all precautions to prevent the spread of illness. Let’s not lose this momentum because of Labor Day Weekend. We have seen what happens with other holidays and the rise in cases after family and social gatherings. With Labor Day Weekend almost here please remember:

Keep your gatherings to 5 or fewer people!

Wear a mask anytime you are around people you don’t live with, including friends and family!

Use physical distancing of at least 6 feet between yourself and others!

Stay home if you are sick or under quarantine or isolation directives!

Wash your hands with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer with more than 60% alcohol!

September 2, 2020 – 5:00pm

Forty-three (43) cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today (PCR-38, Antigen-5). Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy area, Royal City, and Warden. Demographics can be seen above.



Most of you have probably seen the CDC report that showed 94% of the people who have died from COVID-19 in the US had comorbidities. Some people have misinterpreted that data point by saying that only 6% of people really died from COVID-19 and all the others died from something else. That is simply not true.



So, what about comorbidities? Comorbidities is another way of saying pre-existing or underlying medical condition. In addition to listing COVID, it’s those types of conditions that could be listed as contributing causes on a death certificate. If a person with cancer, chronic kidney disease, or diabetes gets sick with COVID-19, develops breathing difficulty, and rapidly dies, their death can confidently be attributed to COVID-19 unless their pre-existing condition was so severe that they were just about to die from it. People with pre-existing conditions have weaker organs and therefore are more likely to experience severe COVID disease but it is generally not the pre-existing condition that causes the death. COVID either causes a condition that led to death such as acute respiratory distress or pneumonia or exacerbated a known condition that led to death such as COPD. We know that people of any age with certain underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19 so it makes sense that those would be the people dying at a greater rate than others. More info on specific comorbidities that put people at risk can be found on the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html



COVID-19 is a virus that can cause death just like influenza, tuberculosis, Ebola, and Hantavirus are viruses that can cause death. How severe the illness is, and the outcome depend on the individual’s internal response, how well they can fight the infection, and how they respond to medical interventions. Saying that someone with diabetes who dies of pneumonia due to a COVID-19 infection didn’t really die from COVID-19 would be like saying someone with diabetes who died of organ failure due to Ebola didn’t die from Ebola. Sure, that’s an extreme comparison of two very different viruses, but the outcomes are the same: death due to conditions caused by a viral infection.

September 1, 2020 – 5:00pm

Sixteen (16) positive cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today from PCR tests. An additional ten (10) positive cases were reported from antigen tests. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Moses Lake, Quincy area, Royal City, and Warden. If one thing has remained the same throughout this pandemic, it’s that change is inevitable. Although we added positive antigen tests as probable to our web tables yesterday, we are changing the label today and updating our tables. After discussion with regional Health Officers including Dr. Brzezny, and input from the State Epidemiologist, we will separate antigen tests from PCR tests, but both will be considered “positive”. We have added a row for total positives that combines both kinds of testing. The demographic tables will include all positive cases and were updated with the antigen tests that were reported yesterday as well as today. Those tables can be seen on our website: http://granthealth.org/updates-for-covid-19-in-grant-county/



Lets end with some good news – our rate of cases/100,000 residents/14 days is trending down and we have seen some plateauing over the last few days in new cases. Both are promising signs. The graph of cases per day below does not include antigen tests, but beginning next week it will. Let’s keep this momentum going by masking up, limiting the size of gatherings, using physical distancing, and washing our hands. We want to see both schools and businesses fully open. Together, we can get there!

August 31, 2020 – 5:00pm

Sixty-three confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD since our last update (Fri-5, Sat-29, Sun-16, Mon-13). Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy area, Royal City, and Wilson Creek area. Two (2) cases were found to be residents of another county and were removed from our counts. The number of recovered was also updated to 1322. As a reminder, recovered is counted 28 days after GCHD was notified of positive test results if patient is not hospitalized or deceased. Cases listed as recovered may still be symptomatic and may have long-term health effects from COVID-19. Demographics can be found above.



We are also reporting twenty-one (21) Probable cases of COVID-19 that were reported to us since Friday. The category of “Probable” was added back to our web table today, but it is being counted differently than it was early in the pandemic. The Probables listed on our website now are those people who received a positive test result from an antigen test per WA Dept of Health case definition. It does not include symptomatic close contacts, which are also included in the case definition as probable.



Some healthcare providers are switching to antigen testing. Antigen tests have a much faster turnaround time (less than 24 hours) and cost less to perform. An antigen test is not the same as an antibody (serology) test or an RT-PCR test. An antigen test looks for the specific protein on the outside of the COVID-19 virus whereas a PCR test looks for virus’s specific genetic material. Antigen tests have a specificity of 99-100% making a very low false positive rate. They do have a higher false negative rate than a PCR test so it is recommended that close contacts or symptomatic people who get a negative, follow up with a PCR test.

August 28, 2020 – 5:00pm

Today were reporting seventy-six (76) confirmed cases of COVID-19 since our last update. Forty-six (46) cases were reported to GCHD today and an additional thirty (30) were reported yesterday after the evening update. One case was found to be a resident of another county and was removed from our counts. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy area, Royal City, and Warden. Demographics can be seen above.

Sadly, Grant County Health District is reporting the 14th and 15th deaths associated with severe complications due to COVID-19 in Grant County residents. The residents were a male Moses Lake resident in his 40s who died in his home and a male Quincy resident in his 80s who died while hospitalized. Both residents had underlying conditions putting them at higher risk for severe complications of COVID-19. These deaths bring the total Grant County COVID-19-related deaths to fifteen (15).



Grant County Health District recognizes each death associated with COVID-19 impacts families, friends, and communities. We would like to express our sincere condolences and on behalf of our staff, Grant County Health Officer, and Board of Health, we are so sorry for your loss.



The risk of complications from COVID-19 can be life threatening in a short period of time. For those of you at home recovering from COVID-19, please contact your healthcare provider or seek medical care if your symptoms become more severe.



For the health of your community, family, neighbors, and friends, it is critical to wear a face covering and limit the size of your gatherings. Each personal decision we make to socialize outside of our households may impact our most vulnerable residents. Please mask up and protect one another. Our community, schools, and businesses are relying on you to help slow the spread of the virus.



Grant County Health District is delaying the announcement of COVID-19 associated deaths in order to give families time to notify their loved ones. We also verify COVID-19 is listed as a cause of death on the death certificate to ensure we are not reporting deaths that are not attributed to COVID-19. All reported deaths of Grant County residents are attributed to COVID-19 and were verified with the death certificate, testing, and other case information.



Everyone can do their part to stop the spread of this disease:

Stay home as much as possible,

Wear a face covering whenever going into public,

Use physical distancing of 6 feet whenever you are around others outside your household, and

Wash your hands often.

August 27, 2020 – 5:00pm

Nineteen (19) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD since our last update. Cases are residents of Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, and Warden. Demographics can be seen above.



Our weekly snapshot reflects the downward trend of cases overall in Grant County. There was a decrease of 55 cases per 100 residents per 14 days since last week’s update. While this is promising, we still have a long ways to get to the goals of 75 and 25 cases per 14 days. Now isn’t the time to get more relaxed with masking and physical distancing, or to increase the size of your gatherings. One person infected with COVID-19 can quickly spread the virus to 2-3 other people if precautions aren’t used which would increase our rates. If we want to keep this trend going, we all have to do our part to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.

August 26, 2020 – 5:00pm

Thirty-seven (37) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD since our last update. Cases are residents of Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, and Warden. Two additional Grant County residents were also hospitalized bringing the total of currently hospitalized up to 21. One case was found to be a resident of another county and was removed from our counts. Demographics can be seen above.



The Washington State Department of Health’s and GCHD’s guidance around testing has not changed: if you have symptoms, you need to get tested. If you’re a close contact of a confirmed case, you need to get tested. Close contacts of confirmed cases also need to stay at home away from others (quarantine) for 14 days after the last exposure even if they test negative for COVID-19, because it is possible for people who test negative to still be incubating the virus, and become contagious later. More information can be seen on the WA DOH Media release: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Newsroom/Articles/ID/1350/COVID-19-testing-still-advised-for-people-with-symptoms-and-close-contacts-of-confirmed-cases

August 25, 2020 – 5:00pm

Nine (9) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Moses Lake, and Quincy. There is also one additional death under review. Demographics can be found above.



The good news is we are seeing a decrease in the rate of cases over the last 14 days! There is still quite a ways to go to reach the 75 cases per 14 days for hybrid in-person learning at schools to be recommended or the 25 cases per 14 days for everyone to return to in-person learning and get more businesses open at fuller capacity. Let’s build off this momentum by:

Always wearing a face covering in public, at work, and anytime you are with people outside your household.

Use physical distancing as much as possible and keep 6 feet of distance between yourself and others.

Stay home if you feel sick! Also, stay home if you have been told to isolate or quarantine by your healthcare provider or GCHD.

Wash your hands.

We can all do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Grant County!

August 24, 2020 – 5:00pm

Seventy-four (74) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD since our last update (Sat-29, Sun-18, Mon-27). Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Othello, Quincy area, Royal City, and Warden. We have also updated our recovered number to 1147. As a reminder, recovered are counted 28 days after GCHD was notified of positive test results if patient is not hospitalized or deceased. Cases listed as recovered may still be symptomatic and may have long-term health effects from COVID-19. Demographics can be seen above.

August 21, 2020 – 5:00pm

Seventy-eight (78) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy, Royal City, and Warden. Test turnaround time averaged 3 days with a range of 1-6 days and a median of 4 days. One (1) additional resident is hospitalized for a total of 19 currently hospitalized and we are waiting for death certificate review on one additional resident. Demographics can be seen above.



Due to the amount of new cases today, we were not able to update the graphs on exposure setting, employment sector, or clinical status. We will try to have those available early next week.

August 20, 2020 – 5:00pm

Twenty-eight (28) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD since our last update. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, Soap Lake, and Warden. Demographics can be seen above.



The weekly Grant County COVID-19 Snapshot shows the upwards trend in cases we have seen over the last few weeks. Additionally, the number of people hospitalized has also increased over the last week. Please join us in helping to protect our communities and lowering the rate of COVID-19 in Grant County. Wear a face covering anytime you are in public. Keep 6 feet of distance between yourself and others. Limit your gatherings to no more than 5 people and wear a face covering when you do gather together. Stay home if you feel sick or are under quarantine or isolation orders. The tools to limit the spread of this illness are known and can be used for the benefit of our friends and family if we all pull together and do our part.

August 19, 2020 – 5:00 pm

Forty-five (45) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD since the last update. Two cases were found to be residents of other counties and were removed from our counts. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy area, and Warden. Demographics can be found above.



Below are graphs showing total cases of COVID-19 in Grant County residents by age and sex at birth. These are a cumulative count of cases since March, the beginning of the pandemic in Grant County.

August 18, 2020 – 5:00pm

Thirty (30) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD since the last update. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Quincy, and Royal City. There is also 1 additional person hospitalized for a total of 18 Grant County residents currently hospitalized. Demographics can be seen on our Updates Page: http://granthealth.org/updates-for-covid-19-in-grant-county/

The incidence rate of cases per 100,000 residents over the last 14 days is now 551. This is a rate increase of 110 over the last week. Over the last 14 days we have seen not only cases increasing, but also hospitalizations. This is a sad trend that we hope will shift. We can all do our part to limit the spread of COVID-19:

Wear a face covering anytime you are around people outside your household.

Limit your gatherings to no more than 5 people outside your household.

Use physical distancing of 6 feet between yourself and others whenever possible.

Stay home if you feel sick.

Wash your hands using soap and water.

Follow Isolation and Quarantine Orders issued by GCHD.

August 17, 2020 – 5:00pm

One-hundred and forty-seven (147) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD since our last update (Fri-4, Sat-62, Sun-56, Mon-25). Thirty-eight (38) cases are linked to 2 employers, one in Mattawa and one in Quincy. Sadly, this is a new weekend record. Test turnaround time averaged 2 days with a median of 2 days and a range of 1-7 days. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy area, Royal City, and Soap Lake. Demographics can be found above.



What do seat belts, helmets, and face coverings have in common? They only work if you wear them! While we have seen an increase in people wearing face coverings at the grocery stores and inside some other businesses, there are still a lot of exposure settings where face coverings are worn less often like social gatherings and in workplaces. Face coverings also only work if they are worn correctly: covering both your nose and mouth. Like seat belts need to be worn every time you ride in a car, face coverings should be worn every time:

You go to work!

You go to the store!

You hang out with friends or family!

You go to religious services!

You attend weddings or funerals!

You are around people outside your own household!

August 14, 2020 – 5:00 pm

Fifty-two (52) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of the Grand Coulee area, Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Quincy and Warden. Two additional Grant County residents have been hospitalized.

Today we are also reporting an additional 117 recovered cases, for a total of 805.

August 13, 2020 – 5pm

Sixty-two (62) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD since our last update yesterday afternoon. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City and Warden. Two additional Grant County residents have been hospitalized.

We appreciate your patience as we work through these investigations. We hope to have our weekly “snapshot” and exposure settings available soon. Please, if you have been exposed or identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19, follow your quarantine instructions; do not go out in public or have visitors in your home until 14 days have passed. If you are sick and/or have been tested for COVID-19, you must isolate from all others for at least 10 days starting with the first day of your symptoms (must also have a full 24 hours fever-free and all other symptoms improved). This is imperative in preventing the spread of this virus.

August 12, 2020 – 5pm

Twenty-seven (27) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy area, Warden and Royal City. Demographics can be found above.

Today, GCHD is confirming the death of a Warden man in his 40s who passed away in his home due to COVID-19 complications. Please join us in sending prayers and condolences to the family of this loved father and husband. This brings Grant County’s deaths to 13. We also received reports of additional hospitalizations and transfers for higher level of care. Our thoughts are with these families as well.

Early today business leaders, elected officials and GCHD’s Administrator met with the Governor’s Office to discuss the continued surge of cases in Grant County. This group of leaders discussed how we as a resilient community can reduce the spread of COVID to prevent further closing of businesses, schools, and our economy. GCHD would like to thank our elected officials, business leaders, and city leaders for your dedication to reducing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.

The full guidance document can be found here.

August 11, 2020 – 5pm

Eighteen (18) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy area, and Royal City. Demographics can be found above. There were also two additional hospitalized patients reported.

The Health Officers for Chelan, Douglas, Grant, Okanogan, and Kittitas counties, released the, “Region 7 K-12 Guidance for Reopening to Classroom Instruction”. This document outlines the expectations of the Health Officers for in-person instruction. Due to the increase in COVID-19 cases the Health Officers agree that, until the COVID incidence rate decreases, in-person instruction is not safe or recommended in North Central Washington.

The full guidance document can be found here.

August 10, 2020 – 5:00pm

One hundred nine (109) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD since our last update Friday afternoon (Fri-3, Sat-36, Sun-30, Mon-40). Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, Soap Lake, and Warden. Demographics can be seen above.



There was also one additional hospitalized patient identified (13 total).

August 7, 2020 – 5:00pm

Thirty-six (36) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Mattawa area, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy area, Royal City, Soap Lake and Warden. Two (2) previously reported cases were found to residents of other counties and were removed from our counts. Demographics can be found above.



Grant County Health District is reporting the 12th COVID-19 associated death of a Grant County resident. The Long-Term Care resident was a male in his 80s from Moses Lake, who was hospitalized at the time of his death. The resident had underlying conditions that put him at a higher risk for severe complications of COVID-19. This death brings the total Grant County COVID-19-related deaths to twelfth (12). “In the course of two weeks, GCHD has reported the deaths of 4 COVID-19 positive patients who died due to complications of the virus,” states Theresa Adkinson, Administrator.



Grant County Health District would like to express our sincere condolences to his family and the facility that loved and cared for him. On behalf of our staff, Grant County Health Officer, and Board of Health, we are so sorry for your loss.



“We are saddened by the loss of another member of our community to COVID-19. On behalf of the team at Samaritan, we would like to extend our thoughts and prayers to patient’s family and loved ones.”



GCHD’s regional epidemiologist created tables with the most current information to demonstrate how the increase in number of cases and rate of transmission in Grant County. Please see the full media release for the tables: http://granthealth.org/2020-media-releases/



For the health of your community, family, neighbors, and friends, it is now more critical than before to wear a face covering. Limit the size of your gatherings, each personal decision we make to socialize outside of our households may impact our most vulnerable residents. Please mask up and protect one another.



Grant County Health District is delaying the announcement of COVID-19 associated deaths in order to give families time to notify their loved ones. We also verify COVID-19 is listed as a cause of death on the death certificate to ensure we are not reporting deaths that are not attributed to COVID-19. All reported deaths of Grant County residents are attributed to COVID-19 and were verified with the death certificate, testing, and other case information.

Everyone can do their part to stop the spread of this disease:

Stay home as much as possible,

Wear a face covering whenever going into public,

Use physical distancing of 6 feet whenever you are around others outside your household, and

Wash your hands often.

August 6, 2020 – 5:00pm

Fifty-eight (58) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, rural Othello, Quincy area, Royal City, Soap Lake, Warden, and Wilson Creek area. Test dates ranged from 7/23/2020 to 8/5/2020 with an average test turnaround time of 4 days (median 3 days, range 1-12 days). Demographics can be seen above.



As of yesterday Grant County saw an increase of 182 cases in the last week and our incidence rate per 100,000 residents jumped to 387. This is not a trend we want to see continue. Cases are not limited to one community, employment sector, or ethnic group. To reduce community spread we must all do our part. We have to wear a face covering anytime we are not alone with our own households including at work and during social gatherings. We need to stay more than 6 feet away from those around us as much as possible. We need to wash our hands frequently. We need to limit our gathering to no more than 5 people outside our households per week or even better, get together remotely until cases are less frequent. We need to stay home if we feel sick. We need to follow orders for isolation and quarantine to prevent spreading the virus even before we know we have it. We are responsible for our choices and we can work to make our communities safer and healthier.

August 5, 2020 – 5:00pm

Twenty-nine-(29) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. They are residents of Moses Lake, Quincy area, Royal City, and Warden. Demographics can be found above.



Grant County Health District is reporting the 11th COVID-19 associated death of a Grant County resident. The Adult Family Home resident was a female in her 80s from Moses Lake. The resident had underlying conditions that put her at a higher risk for severe complications of COVID-19. This death brings the total Grant County COVID-19-related deaths to eleven (11). The facility had two staff members test positive but no additional residents. They have done weekly follow up testing and, at this time, have had no additional staff or residents test positive.



Grant County Health District would like to express our sincere condolences to her family and the facility that loved and cared for her. On behalf of our staff, Grant County Health Officer, and Board of Health, we are so sorry for your loss.



Adult family homes are licensed by DSHS and provide a home and care for adults who cannot reside on their own but do not require nursing care. These residents are among our most vulnerable community members. Due to potential vulnerability to COVID-19, adult family home residents have the same restrictions to visitors as long-term care and memory care centers. The challenges to keep COVID-19 away from their residents increases as COVID-19 rates climb. Many of the facilities have residents and staff living together in addition to employing staff who reside elsewhere. For the health of your family, neighbors, and friends, it is now more critical than before to wear a mask. Limit the size of your gatherings, each personal decision we make to socialize outside of our households may impact our most vulnerable residents. Please mask up and protect one another.



Grant County Health District is delaying the announcement of COVID-19 associated deaths in order to give families time to notify their loved ones. We also verify COVID-19 is listed as a cause of death on the death certificate to ensure we are not reporting deaths that are not attributed to COVID-19. All reported deaths of Grant County residents are attributed to COVID-19 and were verified with the death certificate, testing, and other case information.

Everyone can do their part to stop the spread of this disease:

Stay home as much as possible,

Wear a face covering whenever going into public,

Use physical distancing of 6 feet whenever you are around others outside your household, and

Wash your hands often.

August 4, 2020 – 5:00pm

Nine (9) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. The cases are residents of Ephrata, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, and Warden. Two cases previously reported were found to be residents of another county and one was found to be a duplicate case so they were removed from our counts. Demographics can be found above. Additionally, 1 death certificate was reviewed and COVID-19 was not listed as cause of death so they are not included in the count of deaths.



Our regional Assessment Coordinator put together these graphs showing daily case counts as well as the incidence rate. The incidence rate is based on the number of new cases reported over the previous 14 days per 100,000 residents. Over the last week we have seen this number level off which is good news. To see this number drop, everyone must do their part to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including wearing a face covering anytime their are outside their home, washing their hands, using physical distancing, and staying home if they feel sick or have been given isolation or quarantine orders.

August 3, 2020 – 5:00pm

Ninety-five (95) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD since our last update (Fri-2, Sat-37, Sun-18, Mon-38). Cases are residents of Ephrata, Grand Coulee area, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Rural Othello, Quincy, Royal City, Soap Lake, and Warden. Demographics can be seen above.



There are also 3 deaths pending death certificate review. We also updated the number of recovered to 688. “Recovered” are counted 28 days after GCHD was notified of positive test results if patient is not hospitalized or deceased. Cases listed as recovered may still be symptomatic and may have long-term health effects from COVID-19. Numbers are updated once a week.

July 31, 2020 – 4:30pm

Twenty-five confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Quincy, and Warden. Demographics can be seen above.



Social gatherings and community spread with no known links to confirmed cases continue to drive transmission in Grant County. 80% of cases are symptomatic at the time we interview them. Please wear a face covering whenever you are outside of your home, including visiting with friends and family, running errands, and going to work. Wash your hands when you get home. You can also keep some hand sanitizer with more than 60% alcohol in your purse, backpack, or glove box to use on the go. These are simple things we can do to limit the spread of COVID-19 and keep our communities healthier.

July 30, 2020 – 5:00pm

Twenty-two (22) cases of confirmed COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Rural Othello, Quincy, Royal City, Warden, and Wilson Creek area. Demographics can be found above.



Here is this week’s Grant County COVID-19 Snapshot. The incidence rate per 100,000 residents for the last 14 days is still increasing. This means there were more people diagnosed with COVID-19 over the last 2 weeks than in the previous 2 weeks. The good news is the hospitalization rate for residents is holding steady though we would like to see it dropping. We are still seeing a variety of exposure settings from workplaces to social gatherings to community spread with no known links. Please wear a mask in all public spaces and keep 6 feet of distance between yourself and others. And if you feel sick, please stay home!

July 29, 2020 – 5:00pm

Twenty-four (24) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Quincy area, and Royal City. Demographics can be seen above.



We have the tools to slow the spread of COVID-19 and each of us can do our part to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities. Always wear a face covering anytime you are in public or a group of people outside your household. Stay 6 feet away from others as much as possible. Wash your hands often and especially after returning home from work or running errands. If there’s not running water and soap available, use a hand sanitizer with more than 60% alcohol.

July 28, 2020 – 5:00pm

Thirty-two (32) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD. Cases are residents of Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Rural Othello, Quincy area, and Royal City. Average turnaround time of tests reported to us since last Friday was 4 days with a median of 4 days. Demographics can be found above.



Grant County Health District is saddened by the loss of another community member to this challenging virus. Our hearts are with his family and friends. On behalf of our staff, Grant County Health Officer, and Board of Health, we are so sorry for your loss.



Grant County is experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks in two long-term care facilities (LTC) located both are located in Moses Lake. Washington State Department of Health defines an outbreak as two or more non-household cases epidemiologically linked within 14 days in a workplace, congregate living, or institutional setting. The residents at both facilities have been isolated from all other residents and the impacted staff members are on home isolation. Staff are following the GCHD recommendations to protect the staff and the other residents. Additional precautions are being taken to reduce the spread of the virus to other residents or staff.



Columbia Crest Center: has 10 positive staff and 19 positive residents.

Lake Ridge Center: has 3 positive staff and 2 positive residents.

Hospitalized: 0



“Columbia Crest Center would like to thank the GCHD and State of Washington for their assistance during this difficult time,” states Center Executive Director, Jane Stilwell. “We have been proactively testing all residents and staff because this is a complex virus that is hard to detect and can take weeks to present itself. We will continue to test all residents and staff every week to manage the spread of the virus and protect as many patients, residents and staff members as possible.”



All LTCs in Grant County have been preparing for the possibility of COVID-19 cases within their facilities for months. Each LTC has a COVID-19 response and isolation plan and have worked closely with GCHD to develop those plans. GCHD continues to work with these LTCs on testing, isolation, and quarantine. We are all working together to ensure the continued safety of your loved ones. Grant County has seen an increased prevalence of the virus in the general community. Research has shown that nursing homes are often impacted when located in areas of general community spread. Grant County will continue to work with local nursing homes impacted by this complex virus.

Grant County LTC facilities are actively:

Monitoring residents and staff for COVID-19 symptoms.

Testing all residents and staff weekly.

In frequent communication with Grant County Health District, and often times daily when positive residents or staff are identified through the frequent testing.

Implementing frequent cleaning, disinfection, and hygiene policies.

Enforcing visitor restrictions and assisting families to connect with their loved ones in other ways.

Utilizing readmitting or admitting new residents policies to assure their return or move to the facility is safe for the remaining staff and residents.

Utilizing Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). PPE is one of the most important prevention tools. Staff are always required to be masked. Masking requirements for residents are utilized as much as possible, when masking is challenging for the resident, then other projections such as room isolation are utilized. COVID rooms or wings are also implemented when more than one case is within the facility.

COVID-19 is a very contagious virus, GCHD interview investigations have discovered community transmission associated with residents who have left the facilities for appointments or for those still capable to go to the store on their own. Caregiving staff who had no symptoms may unknowingly spread the virus to the residents and coworkers. The facilities are committed to staff training on disease transmission and wearing PPE appropriately at all times, frequent handwashing, and whenever possible adherence to social distancing between staff as well as staff to residents.



Long-term care facilities serve our most vulnerable populations whose age and health conditions put them at a higher risk for severe complications due to COVID-19 and death. We all need to be vigilant about protecting these community members, especially those who work with or come into contact daily with those who are the most vulnerable. For the health of your family, neighbors, and friends, it is now more critical than before to wear a mask when in public. Limit the size of your gatherings, each personal decision we make to socialize outside of our households may impact our most vulnerable residents. Please mask up when out in public and protect one another.

July 27, 2020

Today we are reporting an additional 67 confirmed cases of COVID-19 that were reported to GCHD since the last update (Fri-1, Sat-21, Sun-28, Mon-17). Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Quincy area, Royal City and Warden. Demographics can be found above.



On Friday Secretary of Health John Wiesman updated the Statewide Face Covering Order to include anytime you leave your home, mobile home, apartment, condominium, hotel or motel room or other dwelling units such as dorm rooms, adult family home, other long term care facilities, and sororities. If you are leaving your living space, even temporary living spaces, you should be wearing a face covering to protect those around you! The full Order can be seen here: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/Secretary_of_Health_Order_20-03_Statewide_Face_Coverings.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

July 24, 2020 – 5 pm

Thirty-three (33) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Grand Coulee, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Quincy area, Royal City, Soap Lake, and Warden. Demographics can be found above.

Here is Grant County’s COVID-19 Snapshot through 7/22/20.

July 23, 2020 – 4:30pm

Twenty-four (24) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. One case previously reported was found to be a resident of another county and was removed from our counts. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Quincy area, Soap Lake, and Warden. Demographics can be found above.



Grant County Health District is also reporting the 9th COVID-19 associated death in a Grant County resident. The resident was a male in his 60s from Ephrata. The resident had underlying conditions that put him at a higher risk for severe complications of COVID-19. This death brings the total Grant County COVID-19-related deaths to nine (9).



Grant County Health District is saddened by the loss of another community member. Our hearts are with his family and friends. On behalf of our staff, Grant County Health Officer, and Board of Health, we are so sorry for your loss.



Our most vulnerable community members — elderly, immunocompromised, and those with chronic conditions — are especially at risk and we must continue to take measures to protect them from this disease. This is especially true for those who work with or come into contact daily with those who are at higher risk for severe complications due to COVID-19. For the health of your family, neighbors, and friends, it is now more critical than before to wear a mask when in public. Limit the size of your gatherings, each personal decision we make to socialize outside of our households may impact our most vulnerable residents. Please mask up when out in public and protect one another.



Grant County Health District is delaying the announcement of COVID-19 associated deaths in order to give families time to notify their loved ones. We also verify COVID-19 is listed as a cause of death on the death certificate to ensure we are not reporting deaths that are not attributed to COVID-19. All reported deaths of Grant County residents are attributed to COVID-19 and were verified with the death certificate, testing, and other case information



Everyone can do their part to stop the spread of this disease:

Stay home as much as possible,

Wear a face covering whenever going into public,

Use physical distancing of 6 feet whenever you are around others outside your household, and

Wash your hands often.

July 22, 2020 – 5:00pm

Twelve (12) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. One case was found to be a resident of another county and was removed from our count. Cases are residents of Moses Lake and Quincy. Test turnaround times of these cases averaged 4 days. Demographics can be seen above.



Please wear a face covering anytime you are in public. Help keep those in your community healthy, especially the most vulnerable. It’s a simple thing we can do to show others we care.

July 21, 2020 – 5:00pm

Twenty (20) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD. Cases are residents of Grand Coulee area, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Royal City, Soap Lake, and Warden. The average test turnaround time for these cases was 9 days, with a range from 2-14 days and a median of 12 days. Demographics can be found above.



Test turnaround times are taking significantly longer than they have in the past. This is due to the nationwide surge in cases and the limited capacity of labs to run the analysis. COVID-19 is very contagious. It is important to stay home if you have been tested, even if you think your symptoms are just allergies or another respiratory illness. It will take several days before you know if you have COVID-19 and you don’t want to spread illness, especially to vulnerable populations where the risk of severe illness is greatest. Your choices affect the spread of COVID-19. Choose to stay home.

July 20, 2020 – 5:00pm

Today we are reporting 59 confirmed cases of COVID-19 that were reproted to GCHD since last Friday’s update. (Friday evening: 12, Saturday: 15, Sunday: 8, Monday: 24) Cases are residents from nearly every community in Grant County: Ephrata, Grand Coulee area, Mattawa area, Moses Lake, Quincy area, Rural Othello, Royal City, Warden, and Wilson Creek area. Demographics can be seen above.



There is widespread community spread in Grant County. It is not limited to one employer, community, or household. Relatively simple precautions can limit the spread. We have said it many times, but everyone can do something to prevent the spread of COVID-19 including wearing a face covering, using physical distancing, avoiding gatherings of friends and family, washing your hands, and staying home when you don’t feel well. Together we can limit the spread of this virus in our own community!

July 17, 2020 – 5:00pm

Thirty (30) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Case are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, and Warden. Demographics can be found above.



The graphs for exposure setting, employment sector, and clinical status have been updated. Only 15% of people tested have been asymptomatic. The majority of cases within Grant County are symptomatic. Social gatherings are continuing to be the exposure setting of many cases. It’s summer and the weather is great so we understand the desire to get together with friends and family, but now isn’t the time for it. People can share the virus with others 2 days before they feel sick meaning you could be sick and not know it. Attending a family BBQ or birthday party could mean you easily spread the illness to those you care about. Our choices matter. Choose not to get together.

July 16, 2020 – 5:00pm

Twenty-six (26) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, and Warden. Demographics can be found on above.



Here is this week’s Grant County COVID-19 Snapshot. The good news is our hospitalizations were down over the last week. However, cases are still rising and we still have community spread. The rate per 100,000 residents increased significantly. Please wear a face covering any time you are in public, use physical distancing, and limit the size of your group to no more than 5 people outside your household if you do have to gather. Your actions and choices impact the health of those around you, including your friends and family. Choose to protect them.

July 15, 2020 – 6:00pm

Thirteen (13) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. New cases are residents of Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, and Ephrata. Demographics can be found on above.

Today we would like to share with you a recent report on the effectiveness of face coverings in salons. This CDC report demonstrates that two hair stylists worked while contagious with COVID-19 and fortunately they and their customers all wore face coverings. Out of the 139 clients who spent more than 15 minutes with the stylists, ZERO clients tested positive for COVID-19. Read the CDC report for yourself by visiting: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6928e2.htm

July 14, 2020 – 5:00pm

Five (5) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. One previously reported case was found to be a resident of another county so they were removed from our counts. New cases are residents of Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, and Warden. Demographics can be found on above.

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has published a new death data report that includes different categories of COVID-19 deaths. Among those who have tested positive for COVID-19, these categories include confirmed due to COVID-19, suspected of being due to COVID-19, non-COVID-19 deaths and deaths pending or missing cause of death. All of the deaths of Grant County residents fall under “confirmed due to COVID-19”. More information and the full report can be found on the DOH website: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Newsroom/Articles/ID/1289/Washington-State-Department-of-Health-publishes-detailed-COVID-19-preliminary-death-data-report

July 13, 2020 – 5:00pm

Today we are reporting an additional 89 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since last Friday (Sat=16, Sun=57, Mon=16). Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, Soap Lake, and Warden. Demographics can be found above.



Additionally we are sad to report the 8th COVID-19 associated death of a Grant County resident. The resident was a male in his 50s from Mattawa who died at his home. The investigation determined no workplace exposure and the infection was likely acquired in the community.



Grant County Health District grieves the loss of a community member. Our hearts are with his family and friends. On behalf of our staff, Grant County Health Officer, and Board of Health, we are so sorry for the loss of your father, grandfather, uncle, and friend.



Our most vulnerable community members — elderly, immunocompromised, and those with chronic conditions — are especially at risk and we must continue to take measures to protect them from this disease. For the health of your family, neighbors, and friends, it is now more critical than before to wear a mask when in public. Limit the size of your gatherings, each personal decision we make to socialize outside of our households may impact our most vulnerable residents. Please mask up when out in public and protect one another.



Grant County Health District is delaying the announcement of COVID-19 associated deaths in order to give families time to notify their loved ones. We also verify COVID-19 is listed as a cause of death on the death certificate to ensure we are not reporting deaths that are not attributed to COVID-19. All reported deaths of Grant County residents are attributed to COVID-19 and were verified with the death certificate, testing, and other case information

Everyone can do their part to stop the spread of this disease:

Staying home as much as possible,

Physical Distancing of 6 feet whenever you around others outside your household,

Wearing a face covering whenever going into public, and

Washing your hands often.

July 10, 2020 – 5:00pm

Fifteen (15) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, and Quincy. Demographics can be found above.



Due to the surge in new cases both in Washington and around the nation, test turnaround times are increasing. In some cases we are being told test may take 5-10 days to get back. This is one reason it’s so important to wear a face covering in public. You may have been exposed to COVID-19, but not know it and not know you are contagious. Thanks to our friends at Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department for the reminder that wearing a mask correctly is important. If you go out in public this weekend, remember to wear your face covering so it covers both your nose and mouth. A cloth face covering traps your droplets that could be carrying COVID-19 so your mask protects those around you and their mask protects you. MASK UP!

July 9, 2020 – 5:00pm

Twenty-eight (28) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Two previously reported cases were residents of other counties and were removed from our counts. Additionally, Grant County Health District is reporting the 7th COVID-19 associated death in a Grant County resident. The resident was a male in his 70s from Moses Lake. GCHD is verifying all death certificates prior to counting the deaths in our counts. All reported deaths of Grant County residents are attributed to COVID-19 and were verified with the death certificate, testing, and other case information.



Each resident that passes, results in a moment of pause for the GCHD staff. We respect and value the life that has been lost and our thoughts are with his family and friends. On behalf of our staff, Grant County Health Officer, and Board of Health, we are so sorry for the loss.



Our most vulnerable community members — elderly, immunocompromised, and those with chronic conditions — are especially at risk and we must continue to take measures to protect them from this disease. For the health of your family, neighbors, and friends, it is now more critical than before to wear a mask when in public. Limit the size of your gatherings, each personal decision we make to socialize outside of our households may impact our most vulnerable residents. Please mask up when out in public and protect one another.

July 8, 2020 – 4:00pm

Thirty (30) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Four (4) cases reported earlier this week were found to be residents from another county and were removed from our counts. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, Soap Lake, and Warden. Demographics can be found above.



We have updated our graph of clinical status at the time of our interview with cases. More than 80% of people tested are symptomatic. It is important to stay home if you feel sick, even if the symptoms are mild, and call your doctor to see about being tested. Asymptomatic people and people with mild symptoms can spread COVID-19. If you have a cough or shortness of breath you may need to be tested for COVID-19. If you have any two of the following symptoms, you should also call your doctor to see if can be tested: fever or feeling feverish, chills, sore throat, muscle ache, headache, or a new loss of taste or smell.

July 7, 2020 – 5:00pm

Fifteen confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, and Soap Lake. During our investigations, three (3) cases reported this week were found to be residents of another county and were removed from our counts. Demographics can be found above.



We have added a count for “Recovered” cases to our Tables. We are not able to check in with previously diagnosed cases as we were able to do in the past. The number of “recovered” is based on 28 days past when the case was reported to us if the person is not hospitalized or deceased. Cases listed as recovered may still be symptomatic and may have long-term health effects from COVID-19. Numbers are updated once a week.

July 6, 2020 – 5:00pm

Since last Friday 79 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD. Daily totals were 19 Saturday, 29 Sunday, and 31 today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, and Warden. Test turnaround time averaged 3 days with a range from 1-6 days. Two (2) cases reported last week were residents of another county so were removed from our counts. Demographics can be found above.



We can all do something to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. Please stay home if you feel sick, wear a mask in public, and practice physical distancing whenever you are with people outside your household.

July 3, 2020 – 4:30pm

Twelve (12) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, and Royal City. One sex at birth is unknown at the time of this update.. Demographics can be found above.



This weekend party like it’s 2020! Just because gatherings are allowed up to 5 people doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a good idea. If you do choose to get together:

Stay home if you feel sick!

Use physical distancing and stay 6 feet apart from others!

Don’t share food or drinks!

Wear a face covering!

Read more on the DOH Blog: https://medium.com/wadepthealth/party-like-its-2020-36e47e12be18

July 2, 2020 – 5:00pm

Thirteen (13) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Grand Coulee Area, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, and Soap Lake. Demographics are available on our Updates Page: http://granthealth.org/updates-for-covid-19-in-grant-county/



Over the last 2 weeks we have seen a wide range of exposure settings: social gatherings like BBQs and birthday parties, same employers, household contacts, and no known links to other cases. It is important we all do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. Below is a snapshot of disease activity in Grant County from June 17 – July 1. This snapshot will be updated each Thursday. The goals listed are from the Safe Start Plan. They are only some of the metrics that are used to determine when Grant County can apply to go to Phase 3. More information can be seen here: https://coronavirus.wa.gov/what-you-need-know/covid-19-risk-assessment-dashboard

July 1, 2020 – 5:00pm

Ten (10) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Quincy, Royal City, and Warden. Test turn around time was 1-2 days. Demographics can be seen above.



Please remember to wear a face covering anytime you are in public, inside or outside, when you can’t maintain 6 feet of distance between yourself and others. It’s a simple thing we can do to protect those in our community and show we care. Slowing the spread of COVID-19 takes everyone doing their part.

June 30, 2020 – 5:00pm

Three (3) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. The cases are residents of Royal City, Soap Lake, and Warden. There were also 2 cases that were discovered to not be residents of our county so our cumulative case count will only go up by 1 case. Demographics can be seen above.



The Employment Sector for Grant County people diagnosed with COVID-19 has been updated. Additionally, we were able to pull together data for symptomatic vs asymptomatic cases in Grant County (n=569). The majority of those who reported being asymptomatic during our interviews were ages 0-18 (28%) or a result of mass testing events (36%). If someone is tested early in their illness, some people who report being asymptomatic at the time of the interview will later develop symptoms. This is known as pre-symptomatic. It’s also important to note that asymptomatic people can still spread the virus to others. This is why it is important to always wear a face covering in public, use physical distancing of 6 feet whenever possible, and wash your hands with soap and water, especially before putting on a face covering and when returning home.

June 29, 2020 – 5:00pm

Today we are reporting an additional 33 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported to us since last Friday. Twelve (12) were reported Saturday, 10 Sunday, and 11 today. The people diagnosed with COVD-19 are residents of Ephrata, Grand Coulee, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, and Royal City. There are also 4 additional people hospitalized for a total of 14 Grant County residents currently hospitalized. The average age of hospitalization is 60 with a median of age of 57. Demographics can be viewed above.

Although there is a lag time in data, information on testing, epidemiologic curves, and demographics, both statewide and for Grant County is available on the WA Dept. of Health Data Dashboard: https://www.doh.wa.gov/…/NovelCoronavirusOutb…/DataDashboard

Also more information can be found on the WA COVID-19 Risk Assessment Dashboard: https://coronavirus.wa.gov/what-you-need-know/covid-19-risk-assessment-dashboard

June 26, 2020 – 6:00pm

Fifteen (15) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Two cases reported yesterday were transferred to their county of residents. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Othello (Grant Co.), Quincy, Royal City and Warden. Demographics can be found above (4 gender and 2 ages were not available by this update).

Ten Reasons to Wear a Face Covering When out in Public

10. So the kids can go back to school. The best way to keep the kids safe at school is to make sure the level of COVID-19 in your community is very low. Wear a mask to make sure your community can keep your kids healthy at school.

9. So small businesses can open and stay open. The quickest way to open our economy is to control the virus. As more of our counties move to Phase 2 and 3, and more people are out and about, we need to make sure we keep the virus from spreading. Wear a cloth face covering to protect our businesses.

8. To be a leader in the community. Set a great example for others in your community. Take care of others and show them how it’s done.

7. Because it’s rude to make other people sick. You wouldn’t cough on someone or sneeze in their face. Now we have a new germ that can be spread to others when we talk or sing or breathe. Cover your face to keep your germs to yourself!

6. To show essential workers how much we appreciate them. Our essential workers have taken the risk to continue to go to work to keep us fed and to keep the services we all rely on running. Thank them by protecting their health by covering your face.

5. To express yourself. Make other people smile behind their masks! Some masks have slogans and other messages printed on them. Use your mask to express your freedom of speech and promote what you care about. Or, write your name on it—keep people from wondering who you are.

4. To leave the house. You know, at all. To go get your haircut. To see your friends and family.

3. To support your cause. Many non-profits are selling masks to raise money for a charity, and some will even match your mask purchase by donating masks to people who need them. Support your local school, human rights, environmental protection, access to health care, or any number of causes you support on your mask.

2. To save money on lipstick. Or cover a pimple. Or maybe because I haven’t had my upper lip waxed in months. Whatever. I have my reasons.

1. It literally saves lives. Fewer people will die if we all wear our masks. Who doesn’t want to be a part of that?

June 25, 2020 – 5:00pm

Seventeen (17) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, and Quincy. Demographics can be found above (2 ages were not available by this update).



Beginning tomorrow, per Secretary of Health Order, everyone must wear a face covering in public, indoors and outdoors, whenever 6 feet separation cannot be maintained. This is act of compassion and care for those around you. It helps protect everyone, especially our most vulnerable populations. The Order can be viewed on our website: http://granthealth.org/resources-for-covid-19/

June 25, 2020 – 12:30pm

COVID-19 spreads mainly person-to-person through respiratory droplets produced when someone talks, coughs, or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths and noses of people nearby which spreads the virus. Cloth face coverings help prevent the person wearing the mask from spreading droplets to those around them. If everyone wears a face covering when out in public, it lowers the risk of spreading COVID-19 in the community and in work places. It’s possible to spread the virus before you have any symptoms and some people never develop symptoms, so wearing a face covering protects those around you. The journal article associated with this video, “Visualizing Speech-Generated Oral Fluid Droplets with Laser Light Scattering” from the New England Journal of Medicine can be seen here: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2007800

June 24, 2020 – 5:00pm

Thirty-five (35) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD. We are also sad to announce death bringing the total to 6 and an additional 2 people are hospitalized. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Othello Rural, Quincy, Royal City, Soap Lake, and Warden. One case’s age is still under investigation, but all other demographics can be seen above.



Help us knock down COVID-19 in Grant County. We can’t control the disease on our own. We need you, our community, to help keep Grant County businesses open and get to Phase 3. We need you to help protect our vulnerable populations like the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. We need you to help keep our hospitals able to care for us when we need it. We need you to help slow the spread of disease. The tools to slow the spread are known: wear a mask, use physical distancing, wash your hands, and stay home if you’re sick. Whether we like it or not, we are still in this together and only together will we be able to slow the spread of COVID-19.



Ayúdenos a derribar el COVID-19 en el Condado de Grant. No podemos controlar la propagación del virus por nuestra cuenta. Los necesitamos a ustedes, nuestra comunidad, para ayudar a mantener abiertos los negocios del Condado de Grant y llegar a la Fase 3. Necesitamos que ayude a proteger a nuestras poblaciones vulnerables, como los ancianos y las personas con problemas de salud subyacentes. Necesitamos que nos ayude a que nuestros hospitales puedan cuidarnos cuando lo necesitemos. Necesitamos que nos ayude a detener la propagación de la enfermedad. Se conocen las herramientas para frenar la propagación: use una máscara, use distanciamiento físico, lávese las manos y quédese en casa si está enfermo. Nos guste o no, todavía estamos juntos en esto y solo juntos podremos frenar la propagación de COVID-19.





June 23, 2020 – 5:00pm

Eleven (11) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. The cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, and Royal City. Test turnaround time averaged 1 day. Full demographics can be seen above.



Today Secretary of Health John Wiesman and Governor Inslee announced that beginning Friday, June 26, face coverings will be mandatory in public, indoors and outdoors, when it’s not possible to maintain 6 feet of physical distance from others. A face covering protects those around you from illness you may not know you have. People with COVID-19 can be contagious before they start showing symptoms or they may remain asymptomatic, but still be able to get others sick. A face covering helps keep droplets from your nose and mouth to yourself. Wearing a face covering is a way to protect those around you, especially those most vulnerable. It’s an act of care! For more information on masks, please see our Resources Page: http://granthealth.org/resources-for-covid-19/

June 22, 2020 – 5:00pm

Today we are reporting an additional 63 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Grant County that were reported to GCHD since Friday. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, and Soap Lake. Exposure settings are still under investigation for many cases but include same employer, social gatherings, close contact of confirmed case, and no known links to a confirmed case. Full demographics can be seen above.



On Friday the WA Department of Health released a new COVID-19 data tied to occupation, industry. It’s important to note that while the risk for contracting COVID-19 may be higher for people depending on their industry or occupation, this report reflects where people work, not where or how they were infected. It can be difficult to determine with certainty where and how people get infected. The full media release can be seen here: https://www.doh.wa.gov/…/Department-of-Health-releases-new-…

June 19, 2020 – 5:00pm

Eighteen (18) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, and Royal City. Exposure settings are still under investigation. Test turnaround time averaged 2 days. Full demographics can be found above.



This graph shows the employment sector of 377 Grant County residents diagnosed with COVID-19. More recent cases are still under investigation. This does not represent transmission or exposure setting! Transmission and exposure settings continue to be varied and include social gatherings, same employers, same households, links to a confirmed case, and community spread with no known links to confirmed cases. Everyone should take precautions to protect themselves and those around them: wear a mask in public, physical distancing of 6 feet whenever possible, and frequent handwashing.

June 18, 2020 – 5:00pm

Twenty (20) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. Cases are residents of Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Soap Lake, and Warden. Test turnaround time was 1-2 days. Sadly, there are also 3 more Grant County residents hospitalized for a current total of 8. Full demographics can be found above.



We get asked a lot about what we are doing to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our county and the answer is, a lot! We work to quickly isolate positive cases and quarantine their close contacts. We try to figure out where cases were exposed to prevent additional cases. We work with all kinds of businesses who want to make their facilities the safest they can for both employees and customers. We try to educate the public on best practices to prevent the spread of disease.



We can’t do this alone though. We need your help to limit illness in your community and protect vulnerable populations. Are you wearing a face covering any time you’re in public? Are you trying to stay 6 feet away from others around you? Are you avoiding group gatherings? If you feel sick, are you staying home? If we have asked you to isolate or quarantine, are you staying home? What are you doing to help us slow the illness in your community and especially to protect the most vulnerable populations?

June 17, 2020 – 4:30pm

Twenty (20) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to Grant County Health District today. The cases are residents of Mattawa, Moses Lake, Othello Rural, and Quincy. Several cases are still under investigation, but currently known exposure settings are same employer, social gathering, household contact, and no known contact with a known case (community spread). We are also reporting that 1 person was discharged from the hospital, but another is hospitalized, so the number of hospitalized residents remains at 5. Full demographics can be seen above.



It’s important to recognize that even though we have clusters of cases within Grant County, like with an employer or a social gathering, the first case is often a result of community exposure meaning we can’t link them to a confirmed case. That is why it is so crucial that everyone use precautions to protect themselves and those around them from COVID-19. People can be contagious before developing any symptoms and prior to getting sick the positive cases in Grant County did all the normal things anyone does when they are healthy: go to work, go to grocery stores, go to home improvement stores, hang out with friends and family. Please wear a face covering in public, practice physical distancing of 6 feet, avoid large gatherings, wash your hands. We have the tools we need to limit the spread of COVID-19. We just need to use them!

June 16, 2020 – 4:30pm

Ten (10) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to GCHD today. The new cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, and Soap Lake. We are still working through investigations to summarize exposure settings. Full demographics can be found above.

June 15, 2020 – 5:00pm

Forty-nine (49) confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported to Unified Command since last Friday. Eleven (11) cases were reported to us over the weekend with the other 38 reported today. Due to the volume of new cases we are not able to report negative test results, pending tests, or probable cases at this time. We are also unable to update the ages of all cases reported because many cases are still under investigation. Exposure settings for those we have investigated are social gatherings, same employer, close contacts of confirmed case, a cluster of agricultural workers and several appear to have no known link to confirmed cases. Cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, Quincy, Royal City, Soap Lake, and Warden.

There is community spread within Grant County. Please take all precautions you can to limit the spread of COVID-19. Please avoid large gatherings, including BBQs and parties. Stay 6 feet away from others as much as possible. Wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol frequently. Wear a mask in public per the Health Officer Directive. We must all do our part to protect those around us and limit the spread of COVID-19.

June 12, 2020 – 5:00pm

Today we are reporting an additional eighteen (18) confirmed cases of COVID-19. Eight (8) were reported to Unified Command yesterday after our evening update for a record thirteen (13) cases reported in one day. An additional ten (10) were reported today. The cases are residents of Ephrata, Mattawa, Moses Lake, and Warden. Exposure settings are household contacts (4), family or social gatherings (3), same employer (4), close contact of confirmed case (2), no known link to a confirmed case likely meaning community spread (4), and 1 is still under investigation.



Additionally, we are sad to report that Grant County Health District was notified on June 11, 2020 of a COVID-19 associated death in a resident on hospice services from Summer Wood Alzheimer’s Special Care Center. The resident was a male in his 80s from Moses Lake. This death brings the total Grant County COVID-19-related deaths to five (5).



Our hearts are with his family and friends. On behalf of Unified Command, our staff, Summer Wood staff, Grant County Health Officer, and Board of Health, we are so sorry for your loss.



Our most vulnerable community members — elderly, immunocompromised, and those with chronic conditions — are especially at risk and we must continue to take measures to protect them from this disease.



“The resident was a valued member of our community and will be greatly missed”, stated Laurie Ahmann at Summer Wood Alzheimer’s Special Care Center. “Our hearts go out to his family and friends.”



Everyone can do their part to stop the spread of this disease:

• Stay home as much as possible,

• Use physical distancing of 6 feet whenever you around others outside your household,

• Wear a face covering whenever going into public, and

• Wash your hands often.

Detailed information on Grant County COVID-19 related statistics can be see at the top of this page.

June 11, 2020 – 4:00pm

Five (5) cases of confirmed COVID-19 were reported to Unified Command today. The cases are residents of Mattawa, Moses Lake, and Royal City. The exposure settings are: household contact, same employer, no links to confirmed cases, and 2 are still under investigation. Full demographics can be found above.



“Pandemics don’t come when they are convenient. In March 1918, when the first cases of pandemic flu were identified, we were fighting World War I. So, they were busy back then too.



During the 1918 flu pandemic, about 500 million people — about a third of the world’s population at the time — got flu. 50 million people died from it. There was no vaccine. There were no good treatments — either for the flu or for the bacterial pneumonia that sometimes followed. The health care systems around the country were totally overwhelmed, and people couldn’t get the care they needed.



There are big differences between that pandemic and this one. For starters, the 1918 flu pandemic was caused by an influenza virus, and COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus. And the world was a different place then, with much slower travel options, fewer people, but in a lot of places, more crowding.



Still, the 1918 flu pandemic taught us important lessons that resonate still today”: Trusted tools work, Pandemics aren’t fair, and we cannot do this alone. Click here to read more: https://medium.com/wadepthealth/lessons-from-the-1918-flu-pandemic-cc8344872c5d

June 10, 2020 – 4:00pm

Ten (10) cases of confirmed COVID-19 were reported to Unified Command today. Cases are residents of Mattawa, Moses Lake, Othello Rural, Quincy, and Soap Lake. Exposure settings are same employer, family gathering, possible exposure outside the county, and under investigation. Three (3) of the new cases are hospitalized and test turnaround time was 1-2 days. Full demographics can be found above.



Getting the county open to Phase 3 is going to take each of us doing our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It is important to continue using known methods to prevent the spread. Wear a face covering in public to protect those around you from illness you may not know you have. Use physical distancing of 6 feet whenever possible. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if handwashing isn’t available.

June 9, 2020 – 5:00pm

Five (5) confirmed cases were reported to Unified Command today. The cases are residents of Moses Lake and Royal City. Two cases are household contacts of a previously confirmed case, while the other 3 have no known link to a confirmed case. Full demographics can be found above.



As part of Gov. Inslee’s “Safe Start” plan, starting yesterday, all employees are required to wear a cloth face covering, mask, or respirator depending on their type of work. There are some exceptions, including when working alone in certain settings, when a job has no in-person interaction, and for people with a medical condition or disability that makes wearing a face covering inappropriate. Businesses are also encouraged to require customers to wear cloth face coverings in order to protect their employees from exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace. More information can be found at: https://medium.com/wadepthealth/do-i-need-to-795396b7659b



Regional Face Covering Poster (Grant, Chelan-Douglas, and Okanogan Health Jurisdictions): Please Protect One Another (English and Spanish)





June 8, 2020 – 5:00pm

COVID-19 Update 6/8/2020

Since last Friday, 5 confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to Unified Command. The new cases are residents of Moses Lake and Rural Othello. Test turnaround time was 2-3 days. Exposure settings are household contact of a confirmed case, a family gathering, community exposure (no known link to a confirmed case), and 2 are still under investigation. Full demographics can be found above.



Contact tracing is a trusted tool of public health. It has been used for centuries to limit the spread of disease. Thorough contact tracing was a major contributor to the World Health Organization’s success in eradicating smallpox. We are using the same trusted tools, boosted with new technologies, to control COVID-19. We don’t have a vaccine for COVID-19 yet, so we isolate or quarantine people who might spread the virus to keep it from spreading. Today, you might get a text or call on your cell phone, which makes our response much quicker than in the past. And the more quickly we can isolate or quarantine folks who might be able to spread COVID-19, the more quickly and completely we can stop the disease from spreading. For more information on contact tracing see this blog post from the WA Dept of Health: https://medium.com/wadepthealth/contact-tracing-979bd01dbf11A trusted tool in preventing disease



June 5, 2020 – 5:00pm

COVID-19 Update 6/5/2020

One (1) confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported to Unified Command today. The case is a resident of Moses Lake. Full demographics can be found above.



As a reminder, we will not do daily updates over the weekend. While you are enjoying your weekend, remember we can all do something to help slow the spread of COVID-19! Remember to wear a mask in public anytime you can’t keep 6 feet of distance between yourself and others. Remember to stay home if you feel sick. Remember not to gather in groups larger than 5 outside of your household. It’s each of us doing our part that will help prevent illness in our families, our friends, and our communities.

June 4, 2020 – 5:00pm

One (1) confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported to Unified Command today. They are a resident of Mattawa and test turnaround time was 1 day. Of the reported cases yesterday and today, 2 are close contacts of confirmed cases, 1 is a household contact, and 2 have had no known contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19. Full demographics can be found above.



Last week, Grant County Health Officer, Dr. Brzezny, submitted the following “Letter to the Editor” to regional newspapers and we wanted to share it with you. It can also be found on our website on the updates page.

DIRECTIVE TO USE FACE COVERINGS AIMS TO STOP COVID-19 RESURGENCE (a Letter to the Editor, May 28, 2020)



To the editor:



Last Saturday, Grant County received permission from the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) to move to Phase 2 of the Governor’s “Safe Start Washington” plan. In my recommendation to the Grant County Board of Health to apply for that variance, I signaled my intent to direct all county residents and visitors to use face coverings indoor where 6 feet of separation cannot be maintained. The main reason was that in Phase 2 and beyond the contacts between people increase. Yesterday, I issued the face covering directive.



My directive is similar to directives in other Washington counties. It is an extension of my recommendations for covering face in public from February and March. The new directive does not seek to punish anyone. I hope to simply increase the use face coverings indoor when we cannot stay more than 6 feet apart. Wearing a fabric mask or a covering traps our droplets when we speak, cough, or sneeze. This has been shown to keep COVID-19 from spreading if we all do it. Yes, it can be a nuisance. True, it can be annoying. It feels like you are being told what to do, even though many have already followed this advice. Still, the directive is necessary to support our effort of increasing masking in our stores, in farm housing, in food processing plants and in retail overall–all areas of high spread.



Recent developments show that using face coverings is more important than ever. During the last two weeks, the pace of COVID-19 in Grant County has increased: a 14-day period from 5/14 until today showed 19 new cases in various settings. This is a double of what we saw during a two-week period ending on 5/18. The disease has recently grown in Quincy and Mattawa, but now also in Moses Lake. We are dealing with our first daycare outbreak. Even though there were no new deaths or hospitalizations, more cases could lead to it.



Phase 2 variance is good news for Grant County. It was based on having no more than 10 new cases of COVID-19 over a 14-day period, a requirement by the DOH. Supporting that effort are thousands of work hours being invested by your Grant County Health District staff to isolate those who are ill and to quarantine their contacts. All this with increased testing and your cooperation is necessary to keep the virus boxed-in. We are joined in this fight by your hospitals, clinics, law enforcement, elected officials, but also by bands of community volunteers performing simple acts of kindness.



To get to Phase 3, our numbers need to remain low. Increasing the use of face coverings is one of the remaining interventions we have at our disposal when the human-to-human interactions are increasing. We do not need to look very far for what an uncontrolled spread of COVID-19 could look like here. Our friends in Yakima County, with only about 2.5 times more people than Grant, are seeing around 100 cases per day and have already recorded nearly 100 deaths since the beginning of this pandemic.



I ask all of you to think really hard about this: why would not wearing a mask be a good decision right when the counties to the west are seeing a rise in cases?



All of us have sacrificed something to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Many have lost jobs, our kids have suffered, our elders are sheltering in place, and our economy is hit. But especially now is not the time to let up. Physical distancing of more than 6 feet should be integrated into our lives as much as possible in the foreseeable future. Using face coverings and washing our hands seem like a no-brainer. An increasing trend in cases could mean that our “reopening” could be rolled back again.



So please allow me this opportunity to once more ask you and urge you strongly to use face coverings together with physical distancing in Grant County and beyond. Using a face covering shows that we care about each other and about human lives in general–a simple act of citizenry during these trying times. I expect more counties, if not our state, enacting similar directives soon. The way I look at it, we have little to lose by wearing a face covering.



I wish to thank you all for your patience and sacrifice, for your acts of kindness, words of support, and your willful cooperation in this fight as we continue to kick the strength out of this virus together, no matter any disagreements.



Alexander Brzezny, MD, MPH, FAAFP

Grant County Health Officer

June 3, 2020 – 4:30pm

Four (4) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to Unified Command today. The new cases are residents of Mattawa, Moses Lake, and Quincy. All 4 cases are still being investigated and exposure setting is unknown at this time. Test result turnaround time was 1 day. Full demographics can be found above.



The quickest way to get our County and businesses open — and keep them open — is to control the virus. That looks like all of us wearing cloth face coverings around other people, staying six feet away from others, and washing our hands. Help keep yourself safe. Help keep your community safe. Help slow the spread of COVID-19.

June 2, 2020 – 5:00pm

Three (3) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to Unified Command today. All 3 are residents of Quincy. Two are household contacts of a confirmed case that was linked to a family gathering and 1 is still under investigation. Test turnaround time was 2-3 days. Full demographics can be found above.



Remember anytime you are in public and can’t keep 6 feet of distance between yourself and others you must wear a face covering to help protect those around you. It’s a simple thing we can do to look out for one another and help keep our communities healthier.

June 2, 2020 – 8:30am

Yesterday The Lancet, weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal, published an article showing masking and physical distancing are effective tools to prevent the spread of coronaviriuses. This analysis of 172 studies about masking and physical distancing provides the best available evidence that 2 meter [6.6 feet] physical distancing reduces infection spread. The authors also showed that wearing face masks (including by the general public) is effective in reducing spread of coronaviruses. The study tells us that combining distancing with masking and eye protection significantly decreases the risk of transmitting COVID-19. #GrantStrong



The full text of the article can be seen here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31142-9/fulltext

June 1, 2020 – 5:00pm

COVID-19 Update 6/1/2020

Fourteen (14) confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported to Unified Command since last Friday. Cases are residents of Moses Lake, Quincy, and Warden. Five are associated with an outbreak at Summer Wood Alzheimer’s Special Care Center, 6 are household contacts of previously confirmed cases and 3 are still under investigation so exposure setting is not yet known. Full demographics can be seen on our website: http://granthealth.org/updates-for-covid-19-in-grant-county/

June 1, 2020 – 4:30pm

COVID-19 Outbreak – Summer Wood Alzheimer’s Special Care Center – Grant County is seeing an uptick in COVID-19 Cases

Six people who live or work at Summer Wood Alzheimer’s Special Care Center in Moses Lake have tested positive for COVID-19. One individual is hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported in connection with the outbreak as of Monday afternoon. We anticipate the remainder of the test results within the next f