The county, which sees thousands of tourists each summer, is seeing a rise in cases this month after thousands of visitors hit the beach towns.
MONTESANO, Wash. — Health officials in Grays Harbor County hope the county’s first COVID-related death will serve as a wake-up call to residents.
“This death shows it’s affecting people,” said County Emergency Management Deputy Director Hannah Cleverly. “We have family and loved ones who are mourning the loss.”
Cleverly noted the county has seen a sharp increase in coronavirus cases this month.
While some of the cases can be attributed to household transmission, there have been significant increases in cases involving exposure from large gatherings inside and outside the county.
According to the county, Grays Harbor County Public Health is actively monitoring 12 positive cases, and 64 close contacts of the 56 cases confirmed since February.
One person who tested positive spent many hours on seven different days at Charlie’s Sports Bar in Montesano.
The county will not say if it was a customer or an employee, but anyone who may have been in the bar at the same time as the patient is asked to contact Grays Harbor County Public Health at (360) 964-1850.
Cleverly said citizens need to increase their efforts in being cautious, by wearing masks when in public and washing hands regularly.
“We need to be more vigilant of our health and our safety,” Cleverly said.
Thousand hit the beaches of Grays Harbor County over the Fourth of July weekend.
While that may be one of the factors in the recent spike in cases, Cleverly said it’s not clear if that had anything to do with the death or with the patient connected to the bar.
She hopes it all serves as a wake-up call that COVID-19 is real, and is in Grays Harbor County.
Montesano resident John Sharp said it’s given him a new perspective.
“It has kind of changed my point of view… because really I haven’t really believed in a lot of this,” Sharp said. “Now that this has happened, it’s kind of opening my eyes up, too.”
Dates of possible COVID-19 exposure at Charlie’s Sports Bar in Montesano
Grays Harbor Public Health officials are asking people who were at Charlie’s Sports Bar at 313 Main St. S in Montesano during any of the following dates and times to quarantine immediately and watch for symptoms of COVID-19. People who begin to show symptoms should get tested for COVID-19.
June 28: 6 p.m. to 12 a.m.
July 11: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.