At this time, Kittitas County is experiencing outbreaks in three different Long Term Care Facilities (LTCF). An outbreak is defined as two or more non-household cases epidemiologically linked within 14 days in a workplace, congregate living, or institutional setting, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

Meadows Place has two positive staff and no positive residents. All residents and staff were tested on July 9th.

Pacifica Senior Living (Pacifica) has 2 positive residents (an additional case at Pacifica was transferred to another facility on July 14th). Previous testing on June 25th and 26th for Memory Care patients and all staff were all negative. Pacifica will be retesting on Friday July 17th.

As of 8am on July 16th, Prestige Post-Acute and Rehab – Kittitas Valley (Prestige) has 52 cases (37 residents and 15 staff). The Kittitas County Incidence Management Team (IMT) continues to conduct case and contact investigations to ensure individuals who need to isolate and quarantine are notified. The IMT continues to work closely with Prestige in response to the current COVID-19 outbreak at the facility.

All LTCF in Kittitas County have been preparing for the possibility of COVID-19 cases within their facilities for months. Each LTCF has a COVID response and isolation plan and have worked closely with the IMT while developing those plans. We are all working together to ensure the continued safety of your loved ones. All patients are currently stable.

Kittitas County continues to see a dramatic rise in COVID-19 activity. If the community does not see a change with the current increases, it is very possible that we could move backwards in the phases. Community goals continue to be:

  • Keep LTCF residents safe
  • Keep high-risk individuals alive and healthy
  • Keep our local businesses and economy open and running
  • Open our schools safely in the fall
  • In order to meet these goals and stay in our current phase, this is what must happen:
  • Wear a mask when you go out in public or are around others
  • Continue social distancing
  • Find alternatives for meetings, events, or social gatherings. Gatherings are a major cause of our community’s dangerous increase in cases

We are all in this together and we each have an active role to play for the county to continue moving forward. We will provide another update on Friday July 17th by the end of the day.

If you have questions about your health, please contact your healthcare provider or you can call the Temporary COVID Clinic at KVH at 509-933-8850. If you are having a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the Emergency Department at KVH. If you have general questions about COVID-19, please call the EOC at 509-933-8315 or 509-933-8305.