OKANOGAN – Okanogan County Public Health is reporting no newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county, with the count remaining at 44, according to their Friday, May 22 update.

The last new cases were reported on Wednesday, May 19 when two cases were confirmed in South County.

As of 1 p.m. today, COVID-19 test results in Okanogan County included 44 confirmed cases, two deaths and 33 people recovering. A total of 1253 samples have been sent for testing, with 1054 returning negative results and 155 test results pending.

So far, the case are located throughout the county, with 15 in South County (Pateros to south of Malott), 11 on the Colville Reservation, 10 in Mid-County (Malott to Riverside), five in the Methow Valley and three in North County (north of Riverside to Oroville).

“Starting today, we will begin doing COVID-19 Updates on Tuesdays and Fridays only. Case counts will continue to be updated daily, Monday through Friday (except holidays), at: https://www.okanogandem.org/. The next COVID-19 Update will be Tuesday May 26, 2020,” states Public Health.

The agency advises people to stay home this Memorial Day Weekend, but is also giving some tips on recreating responsibly.

“The long weekend is a welcome opportunity for families and households to get outside for fresh air and exercise. Most state lands and parks are now open for day use; camping at state parks is still not allowed,” states Public Health.

Here are some reminders about how to recreate responsibly while we all continue to do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19:

• Stay local. Find a place to hike, picnic or take a walk that is close to home. Please avoid traveling outside your own county borders to popular destinations

• Avoid crowded areas. Public gatherings are still not allowed.
• Enjoy the outdoors with people in your immediate household.
• Follow physical distancing and etiquette rules such as wearing a cloth face covering and staying six feet apart from others.

As long as we all #RecreateResponsibly, spending time outside is good for our mental and physical health. Check your local parks department for information about what’s open or closed. For information about state lands and parks, visit the Department of Natural Resources , Washington State Parks, and Department of Fish and Wildlife.

More Information

State Department of Health Call Center 1-800-525-0127 Press # after the prompt

Education & Information www.doh.wa.gov/emergencies/

Okanogan County Alerts Sign up for alerts like these from Emergency Management at: https://www.okanogandem.org