Deschutes County says surge in COVID-19 cases delays contact tracing efforts

Expects delay to be temporary as it hires additional health services staff

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Deschutes County health departments are responding to a high volume of COVID-19 cases, which reached a record 129 cases on Friday. Due to the increase, case investigation and contact tracing teams are currently unable to contact all residents who test positive within 24 hours.

Public health officials are asking those who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are waiting for a public health appeal to:

• Stay home and self-isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms. If you do not have symptoms, self-isolate for 10 days after your test date.
  • Common symptoms of COVID-19 include: fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Some people may have a loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, sore throat and muscle pain, or feel very tired.
• Notify those with whom you had close contact and let them know that they should quarantine themselves for 14 days. Contacts can return to normal activities on day 10 of their quarantine if they have no symptoms, but please continue to self-monitor for the full 14 days and stay home if you experience symptoms.
  • Close contacts are people who have been within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes, starting 2 days before symptoms start.
  • For people who test positive but do not have symptoms, notify all close contacts from 2 days before the test.
• If your symptoms get worse, call your healthcare professional. Tell them you’ve tested positive for COVID-19.

Public health officials are encouraging people who are symptomatic or at risk of someone with COVID-19 to get rapid or point-of-care tests. To find out where to get tested in Deschutes County, visit www.deschutes.org/covid-19testing.

Public health officials are asking those who have been tested for COVID-19, other than rapid or point-of-care tests, and are still awaiting their test results to:

• Stay home and away from others while waiting for the results.
• Inform people you have been in close contact with and let them know that you are awaiting test results and that they should stay away from others.
• If your symptoms get worse, call your healthcare professional. Tell them you are waiting for the COVID-19 test results.

“Our public health team needs the support of our community to follow public health advice and self-isolate and start notifying your close contacts if your test is positive,” said public health director Nahad Sadr. -Azodi. “With this increase in cases, it is extremely important that we continue to be vigilant by taking precautions – wear your mask, keep your social ‘bubble’ small, and maintain good hand hygiene.”

Deschutes County Health Services said they expected the current delay in the contact tracing process to be temporary. The Deschutes County County Council of Commissioners recently approved additional positions to support the COVID-19 response, and the county is actively working to post and recruit for these positions.