205 W 5th Ave Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
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Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
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If you have questions or concerns regarding COVID-19, please contact the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) at 509-933-8315. We are asking the public to call the EOC.Our front desk staff will continue to provide required Kittitas County Public Health Department services — all COVID-19 concerns will only be handled in the EOC.
Get Trusted Information! As more is known about COVID-19 and more resources become available, changes occur rapidly. Updated information that is trusted by the Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) is here:
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Kittitas County Jury Service Temporary Policy 04/01/2020
Kittitas County Superior Court and District Court Judges' additional jury excusal reasons in response to Corona Virus (Covid-19)
Kittitas Valley Event Center Closure 03/16/2020
Gov. Jay Inslee released statement last night as follows:“Given the explosion of COVID-19 in our state and globally, I will sign a statewide emergency proclamation tomorrow to temporarily shut down restaurants, bars and entertainment and recreational facilities. “Restaurants will be allowed to provide take-out and delivery services but no in-person dining will be permitted. “The ban will not apply to grocery stores and pharmacies. Other retail outlets will have reduced occupancy.“Additionally, all gatherings with over 50 participants are prohibited and all gatherings under 50 participants are prohibited unless previously announced criteria for public health and social distancing are met. “These are very difficult decisions, but hours count here and very strong measures are necessary to slow the spread of the disease. I know there will be significant economic impacts to all our communities and we are looking at steps to help address those challenges."
Kittitas County Superior Court Suspends Jury Service 03/16/2020
Kittitas County Superior Court suspends jury service through April 10, 2020.
Governor Inslee Expands Prohibition and School Closures 03/13/2020
At a press conference today, Governor Jay Inslee expanding the state prohibition of gatherings of more than 250, closed all public and private schools within the state, and expanded the directives of nursing/assisted living facilities.
Kittitas County Resident with Definitive Exposure to COVID-19 03/13/2020
A King County resident who was tested in Kittitas County has tested positive with COVID-19. That King County resident had close contact with a 20 year old Kittitas County resident. The Kittitas County resident had definitive exposure to a person with COVID-19 and is in voluntary self-quarantine.
Updated Recommendations for Kittitas County Residents 03/12/2020
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee announced on Wednesday March 11, 2020 that events with more than 250 people are prohibited. Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) is now recommending that Kittitas County residents voluntarily follow these measures.
Kittitas County Board of Commissioners Address Outbreak Response 03/11/2020
The Kittitas County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) has been working closely with Human Resources and other county offices to ensure that Kittitas County as an employer is ready to respond to the community spread of COVID-19. Continuity of Operations is essential to providing governmental services to our community.
Kittitas County now has Three Positive COVID-19 Patients 03/11/2020
The Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) was notified of a third positive test result for COVID-19 in our county. The third patient is male and 56 years old. At this time, the third positive test result appears to be unrelated to the two previous cases.
Kittitas County now has Two Positive COVID-19 Patients 03/11/2020
This morning, the Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) was notified of an additional positive test result for COVID-19 in our county. The patient is a family member of the first positive case. Currently, the 67 year old female patient who is positive for COVID-19 is being evaluated for hospitalization. The second patient who is positive is stable and does not require hospitalization at this time. “We are coordinating with our healthcare responders and the family to ensure everyone’s health and safety,” states Health Officer Dr. Mark Larson.
Positive COVID-19 Contact Investigation is Underway 3 of 3 03/07/2020
New information to share with the public is:• Three people employed at a local business were notified of close contact with patient.• Symptomatic close contacts who have been tested will be required to stay home in isolation until test results are returned.• Anyone who gets tested for COVID-19 will be required to isolate until results are returned.• Frequently asked questions about symptoms and testing are available at www.doh.wa.gov. Informational sheets include the following:o What to do if you have confirmed or suspected coronavirus disease.o What to do if you were potentially exposed to someone with confirmed COVID-19.o What to do if you have symptoms of COVID-19 and have not been around anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.• As of today, KCPHD is not requiring or recommending any event cancelations or closures. However, organizations and individuals planning major events should be considering alternative plans.
Positive COVID-19 Contact Investigation is Underway 2 of 2 03/07/2020
As the Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) conducts the current COVID-19 disease investigation, we want to inform the public that we most likely have community spread. Community spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) means people have been infected with the virus in our area, including some who are not sure how or where they became infected.
Positive COVID-19 Contact Investigation is Underway 1 of 1 03/07/2020
The Kittitas County Public Health Department is currently working with the individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 to gather information and begin contacting potential close contacts. We will continue to update the public as information becomes available.
KCPHD Notified of Positive COVID-19 Patient in Kittitas County 03/07/2020
The Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) has been notified of a positive COVID-19 test result. Patient is stable and in isolation.
No Positive COVID-19 Cases in Kittitas County, but Increase in Response Requires County Declaration of Emergency 03/06/2020
Kittitas County has declared a state of emergency in regard to COVID-19. The declaration comes in response to increased testing and contact investigations within our county. This is all preemptive and provides for additional resources to Kittitas County.
COVID-19 Weekly Update 2 of 2 03/06/2020
The Kittitas County Public Health Department is always working to prevent or limit the spread of disease. This weekly update will address the rapid changes that are occurring.
Third COVID-19 Test is Negative with More Tests Pending 03/04/2020
The Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) was notified that a third test results for suspected COVID-19 in Kittitas County is negative. However, Kittitas County has also added an additional person under investigation. To date, we have 3 test results that were negative and two people under investigation for a total of five individuals.
Second COVID-19 Test in Kittitas County is Negative with More Tests Pending 03/03/2020
The Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) was notified that the test results for the second suspected case of COVID-19 in Kittitas County came back negative. Additional information is pending for two people under investigation for COVID-19 in Kittitas County. KCPHD will provide notification as information regarding the two new cases becomes available.
COVID-19 Monitoring Continues and the Risk Remains Low 03/02/2020
The Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) is testing a Kittitas County resident, currently hospitalized in Western Washington, for COVID-19. The patient is in critical, but stable condition. Testing was sent as of March 2, 2020 to the Washington State Department of Health’s lab. When test results become available, KCPHD will issue results immediately.
COVID-19 Weekly Update 1 of 1 02/28/2020
The Kittitas County Public Health Department is always working to prevent or limit the spread of disease. This work is familiar to us, but we realize that the general public does not deal with disease prevention every day, so below is some information to help.
Test Results Negative for 2019 Novel Coronavirus in Kittitas County. 02/07/2020
The Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) was notified that the test results for the suspected case of novel coronavirus in Kittitas County came back negative. The patient is stable and is no longer under isolation. KCPHD and Central Washington University (CWU) will continue to work closely together to reach out to students, families, and personnel that were involved.
Patient Being Tested for Novel Coronavirus in Kittitas County 01/30/2020
The Kittitas County Public Health Department will send a test for Novel Corona Virus to the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Laboratory for a suspected case in Kittitas County. The patient is currently a student at Central Washington University (CWU) and is voluntarily in isolation.
