Chelan-Douglas Health Officer Gives Largely Positive Update

Chelan-Douglas Health Officer Dr. Malcolm Butler seemed cautiously optimistic during a health board update Monday as new COVID-19 cases dropped by 6.5% last week.

According to Butler, the two county area is at about the same level in terms of case rate as it was during the peak of the first wave. The district is also seeing more cases in the smaller hospitals such as Coulee Medical Center, Mid Valley Hospital and Samaritan Hospital.

"What that says to me is that now, with most of the medically vulnerable vaccinated and thus protected, we are seeing a lot of people who tolerate the disease fairly well." Butler said, "They are sick enough to need a hospital. They need hydration and they need oxygen support, but they are not sick enough to need an intensive care unit."

About 6-7% of all hospital beds in Chelan and Douglas counties have COVID patients, so there is plenty of capacity. Mild outbreaks have recently been reported at a local long term care facility and a tribal casino.

Chelan and Douglas are currently ranked as the 4th and 9th-most vaccinated counties in the state, respectively.

Butler provided a graphic produced by the New York Times that showed the two counties as 'high risk', and every county that bordered Chelan-Douglas as 'very high risk'.

"We are an island right now. I think that we are very aware of the fact that a good portion of our trade is made of people visiting us. So even though Chelan/Douglas' numbers are looking reassuring, we are an island amongst a 'high risk' sea."

Butler is encouraging masking until the rest of the state cools down, especially those in tourist industries.