COVID-19 cases keep rising on Peninsula; OMC transfers cases to Jefferson Healthcare

Public health authorities confirmed an additional 123 COVID-19 cases on the North Olympic Peninsula on Wednesday after the numbers had leaped by 407 over the holiday weekend.

Most new cases were in Clallam County, where an additional 101 cases swelled the numbers accumulated since the pandemic began from 8,190 to 8,291. Jefferson County’s cases rose by 22, from 2,123 to 2,145.

Clallam’s case rate was 2,180 per 100,000 population on Wednesday. Jefferson County will update its case rate on Friday.

No additional deaths were reported in either county on Wednesday. There were some new hospitalizations, with Jefferson Healthcare hospital in Port Townsend taking on some patients from Olympic Medical Center (OMC) in Port Angeles, which is experiencing high patient column and staffing shortages.

Of Jefferson Healthcare’s three additional COVID-19 patients reported on Wednesday, two had been transferred from OMC. Of the three new patients, one was in Jefferson Healthcare’s intensive care unit (ICU).

“We are looking at the current situation from a regional perspective and will do all that we can to help OMC,” said Amy Yaley, director of marketing and communications for Jefferson Healthcare.

”Our nursing leadership team keeps a very close eye on our patient levels, reviewing daily to make sure we can be nimble and responsive to the changing landscape,”

OMC reported 12 new hospitalizations on Wednesday, with four in the ICU.