Five more Wahkiakum County residents tested positive for covid-19 on Monday and three more on Thursday, bringing the cumulative total to 248. Of those, 36 are considered potentially active.

Wahkiakum Health and Human Services is working with the individuals to determine who may have an exposure risk, and anyone who is considered to have had close contact will be contacted by staff from WHHS.

According to the Washington Department of Health, 14 residents have gone to the hospital for treatment since the pandemic began, and five deaths are attributed to covid-19.

As of Tuesday, there were 19 patients being treated for covid-19 at St. John Hospital in Longview.

Sixteen more doses of the vaccine have been administered to Wahkiakum residents in the last week.

Vaccines are free and available to anyone 12 and older in Wahkiakum County. According to a press release from WHHS, the vaccine is the best possible protection against covid-19. Anyone who would like to get a vaccine is encouraged to contact their provider or the health department at 360-849-4041 to get on the schedule for a vaccine.