Update on San Juan County COVID cases

||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN, DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT |||

Note: Current positive case numbers are available online at the County Case Count Page. As indicated on that page, these numbers are only updated after case confirmation is complete, usually daily. It is possible that other information sources in community may be quicker to report on new cases, but ensuring privacy and accuracy is critical for this official information source.

Since the last update on Friday NOV 20th, total cases in San Juan County have increased from 59 to 63. Two of these new cases are on San Juan Island, the other two are on Orcas Island.

ORCAS ISLAND
There are a total of 2 positive cases being actively monitored on Orcas Island at this time.

One of the new cases on Orcas Island is a close household contact of a previous case.

The other new case is a recently returned college student, transmission almost certainly occurred at their university. Fortunately, the individual and their family have been thoughtfully and safely quarantining upon return.

LOPEZ ISLAND
There are zero positive cases being actively monitored on Lopez Island at this time. There has been no new COVID case activity on Lopez Island this week.

SAN JUAN ISLAND
There are a total of 4 positive cases being actively monitored on San Juan Island at this time. One of the new cases on San Juan Island is a close household contact of a previous case. The second case is from a San Juan Island resident, with a likely transmission source on the mainland.

OVERALL PICTURE
Cases continue to drastically increase in Washington and beyond. Due to the spike, the demand for testing has skyrocketed and in some cases it is taking a week or more for test results to be reported.

If you are symptomatic and/or have been tested, you and those in your household need to quarantine until your results are returned. If you are positive, please contact San Juan County Health & Community Services at 360-370-7500 if you have not been contacted by them.

As per the Governor’s new restrictions, indoor social gatherings with people from outside of your household are prohibited, unless guests quarantine for 14 days prior, or quarantine for 7 days prior and then are tested and found to be negative.

Governor’s guidance also states that anyone traveling to Washington from out of state should quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.

If you choose to break either of these protocols, please be sure to quarantine yourself and your household contacts for at least ten days after you return home or guests depart.

Young adults returning home from college or elsewhere are a concern due to their high volume of social contacts and the large number of cases on campuses. If they return to the island, they and anyone in their household need to
quarantine for at least 10 ten days.

These restrictions and guidance are difficult to follow and limit our day to day lives to an enormous degree. The next 4-6 weeks will be some of the most critical and difficult times we’ve faced yet. Reducing our number of social contacts has never been more vital.

For context, take a look at the sharp jump in the number of adult ICU beds in WA State that are occupied by patients with suspected or confirmed COVID.

Despite the concerning news and worsening situation, we in the islands have much to be grateful for. Here’s wishing all islanders a safe, small, socially distanced, yet still memorable holiday.