Protester confirmed to have COVID-19

Protester+confirmed+to+have+COVID-19

Bailey Tomlinson, News Editor

An individual at both the June 1 and 2 protests for racial equality in Ellensburg tested positive for COVID-19. The county’s Incident Management Team (IMT) is in contact with the individual.

A Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) press release announced the individual was wearing a mask during their time at both events. Because of this, they reduced the risk of spreading COVID-19 to those around them. 

Individuals who attended the protests do not need to seek out testing unless they begin to develop symptoms, according to Public Information Officer Kasey Knutson. Those with concerns about possible symptoms are encouraged to contact their healthcare provider or the Temporary COVID Clinic at Kittitas Valley Hospital with any questions. The clinic can be reached at (509) 933-8850.

“We need everyone to mitigate the spread of COVID-19: wear a cloth face covering, maintain physical distance, stay home when you are sick, wash your hands frequently, and cover your cough,” the release said.

Kittitas County currently has 90 cases of COVID-19. 76 of the 90 are considered recovered, leaving 14 active cases currently in the county. Systems the IMT uses to monitor spread, such as contact tracing, will not be affected by the size of the event, Knutson said.