Fourth Coronavirus Case in Skagit County

A fourth Skagit County resident has been confirmed having COVID-19, aka coronavirus. A man in his 30s was released from a hospital to isolation at home.

Three other cases were revealed in recent days: a male in his 20s in isolation at home, a female in her 30s in isolation at home, and female in her 40s in isolation at home

Meanwhile, Skagit County Public Health has reviewed information from confirmed cases of novel coronavirus, community calls to Public Health, and the science on this pandemic and reached the conclusion that community transmission of the coronavirus is occurring in Skagit County.

Confirmation of cases through laboratory screening is not able to keep pace with ongoing community transmission.

County Public Health said, in a Saturday news release, that healthcare providers with limited testing capacity need to prioritize testing for people with highest risk. The advised that COVID-19 testing is for patients exhibiting symptoms only. Hospital and clinics are not testing patients without symptoms at this time.

Testing is occurring according to CDC and State guidelines. Many people will have mild to moderate symptoms of novel coronavirus and will not have laboratory confirmation of illness. Symptoms of novel coronavirus include fever of 100.4 degrees or higher and cough.

Guidelines say people with symptoms of novel coronavirus need to isolate themselves at home for at least 7 days or 72 hours (3 days) after fever and other symptoms resolve, whichever is longer. The end of symptoms must be marked from the time after you have stopped fever reducing medication. Having a positive test result does not change that advice. It is essential that all people with symptoms of novel coronavirus follow these isolation recommendations.

The county urges everyone not go to a hospital or ER for testing unless your symptoms require emergency medical care. The county wants to assure that our medical system is available to care for people with serious illness, including symptoms such as shortness of breath.

People experiencing shortness of breath or other serious symptoms need to seek medical consultation. Call your provider, urgent care, or emergency department first before going in.

Some employers are requesting employees to provide evidence of negative test results for COVID-19 prior to returning to work. Due to limited testing capacity at this time, workers will not be able to obtain negative COVID-19 test results prior to returning to work. Workers who have been ill and completed their isolation period as directed above should no longer be infectious.