Pullman Regional Hospital experienced a localized outbreak of COVID-19 cases, with two employees in the same department testing positive for the virus, according to a news release from the hospital.
Both employees are quarantining, according to the release, and contact tracing is taking place. All staff in close contact with the two employees have been tested. As part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, these same employees will be tested again in three days.
According to the release, hospital visitors are restricted in all inpatient areas of the hospital. One birthing partner may accompany a patient during their stay at the hospital’s birthing center. Only necessary chaperones are allowed to accompany patients.
Gritman Medical Center in Moscow reported Thursday a 2.25-percent positivity rate for its COVID-19 testing in the past seven days, a decrease from 6.03 percent last week and 11.31 percent the week before.
Five patients who tested positive for the virus have been admitted to the hospital, an increase from three patients last week. Those numbers are cumulative and not necessarily reflective of the number currently hospitalized.
According to Gritman, 22,618 tests have been processed this year.
Whitman County received 31 new positive COVID-19 cases Thursday, bringing the county total to 1,590, according to a Whitman County Public Health news release.
New cases include 14 people younger than 20 years old, 13 people between 20 and 39 and four between 40 and 59. Three people are hospitalized and all other people with active cases are stable and self-isolating. There have been 13 hospitalizations to date and three deaths. All deaths were reported since Oct. 6.
Public Health-Idaho North Central District reported seven new cases Thursday in Latah County, bringing the county total to 771 — 752 confirmed and 19 probable cases.
Six of the newly-infected people are 18 to 29 years old and one is 13 to 17. Of the 771 total cases, 319 have recovered and none have died. Seventy-four percent, or 574, of the total cases are people 18 to 29.
