LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Wednesday Lake County’s Public Health officer said a third positive case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in the county.
Dr. Gary Pace said the case was identified on Tuesday.
“Apparently, the initial contact with an infected person occurred out of the county, but there may have been some interactions in our community over the past few weeks,” Pace said in a Wednesday evening press release.
“This third case illustrates the importance of everyone maintaining ‘shelter in place,’ and wearing a mask when in the public because virus transmission can occur from people with no obvious symptoms,” Pace said.
So far, 211 negative tests have been received by Lake County Public Health, which said the total number of tests administered is not available.
The first two positive COVID-19 cases in Lake County were confirmed on Sunday and Monday. Pace said those two cases are close family members, with the initial case coming from a contact with a known COVID-19 case at an out-of-county workplace.
Lake County News asked Pace if the third case was related to the first two and how it was tracked. He would not answer the questions.
The news about Lake County’s third confirmed case comes as California’s overall case count closes in on 19,000, with about 500 deaths.
Earlier this week, Pace extended the county’s shelter in place order through May 3.
The three patients identified so far in Lake County have been very observant of the stay at home orders and have been cooperative with Public Health’s contact tracing and isolation plans, Pace said.
“Even with all of these steps that are being taken to slow the spread of the virus, we continue to monitor for signs of community transmission,” said Pace.
Pace said there has been a great deal of interest in learning where these patients live, and people have been trying to obtain some information about them.
“Public Health is legally responsible for protecting personal health information, including demographics that may lead to identification. In order to protect the identity of those community members who test positive for COVID-19, Public Health will not provide city/town of residence at this time. That being said, should a Lake County resident test positive for COVID-19, it is their personal choice as to whether to release information publicly regarding their location and/or identity,” Pace said.
He added, “In a small, tight-knit community like ours, even location may lead to patient identification. Sharing location information does not provide any benefit to the public in helping to prevent illness.”
In order to prevent the spread of illness, Pace recommended that everyone wear a mask when leaving their homes.
N95 and surgical masks are in short supply, and should be reserved for use by healthcare professionals at this time, he said.
Now that there are confirmed cases in Lake County, Pace said the public should consider every public place as a place that one could be exposed.
He asked that community members continue to follow all other recommended precautions, including following shelter-in-place and other public health orders, stopping all nonessential activities, and practicing good hygiene and routine cleaning.
Guidance and options for making your own cloth masks are provided here.
For Lake County-specific Coronavirus information, visit the Lake County Health Services Department’s website.
If you still have questions, send an email request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Public Health during business hours at 707-263-8174.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Third COVID-19 case confirmed in Lake County
- Elizabeth Larson
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