Gritman: COVID-19 ward 'filled to capacity'

Gritman Medical Center said in a release Thursday the hospital’s COVID-19 patient care unit is “once again filled to capacity,” but will continue operating under contingent standards of care.

“In the past week, we have seen our highest number of COVID-19-positive patients being admitted for inpatient treatment,” the update stated. “Both the 7-day and 14-day test positivity rates have increased as well.”

On the Washington side of the border, Pullman Regional Hospital has partnered with Incyte Diagnostics to open a COVID-19 testing center.

The center is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at 690 Bishop Blvd. in Pullman near Anytime Fitness.

The testing center was created to meet the demand for COVID-19 testing in the area.

Results of COVID-19 tests will be communicated back to the referring provider and a print outs will be available the following day for patients to pick up at the center. Tests conducted on Friday will have results available for pickup on Monday.

The leased space for the testing center is supported by Pullman Regional Hospital, and $20,000 in funding was provided by the Whitman County Health Network.

Thirty new cases of COVID-19 were reported Thursday on the Palouse, according to updates from regional health agencies.

Public Health – Idaho North Central District added 14 new cases to Latah County’s total, which sits at 3,994 since the pandemic began.

The latest cases include one person younger than 18, three people between ages 18-29, one person in their 30s, four people in their 40s, two people in their 50s, two people in their 70s and one person in their 80s.

No new deaths were reported in Latah County. There have been 25 total virus-related deaths in the county.

Whitman County reported 16 new cases and no new hospitalizations or deaths on Thursday. There have been 5,595 cases, 198 hospitalizations and 61 deaths in the county since the start of the pandemic.