UMATILLA COUNTY — Umatilla County got some good news on Thursday after three possible COVID-19 samples the county sent to the Washington State Public Health Lab for testing all came back negative for the virus.

The county has one “presumptive positive” case, meaning the sample came back positive from a state lab, but is waiting for confirmation through a second round of testing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Umatilla County Public Health sent samples from three people who had close contact with that patient in for testing, but all three tests were negative for COVID-19.

“We’ve been holding our breath, particularly regarding those three,” Umatilla County Commissioner George Murdock said. “This doesn’t mean something couldn’t happen in the future, but for now, the news is good.”

He added that the individual, who had tested positive, is also recovering.

The county health department noted in a news release that due to the nature of the virus, it was likely the county would end up collecting additional samples for testing in the future, and there are people who came in contact with the presumptive positive case that are still being monitored daily. However, the county will only release information if the tests come back positive.

Murdock said he applauded the public health department for their attentive response to the new virus.

On Monday, the Oregon Health Authority announced that a Umatilla County resident had been diagnosed with a presumptive case of COVID-19 after attending a youth basketball game at the Weston Middle School gym, the third documented case in Oregon and the first in the region.

Wildhorse Resort & Casino outside Pendleton closed its doors Monday for cleaning after the presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in Umatilla County was determined to be an employee, but on Wednesday at noon Wildhorse reopened, along with Nixyaawii Community School, Head Start, and Daycare that had also been closed for cleaning as a precaution.

On a statewide level, Gov. Kate Brown announced Thursday that the state has reached an agreement with health insurance companies to waive cost sharing for customers who need COVID-19 testing, according to a press release from the state.

The agreement means consumers with fully insured individual and group health plans will not be charged co-payments, co-insurance, or deductibles related to COVID-19 for testing at an in-network provider, in-network urgent care center, or emergency room and will not be charged for COVID-19 immunization when it becomes available.

“I’d like to thank Oregon’s insurers for partnering with the state, so that medical providers can issue COVID-19 tests to anyone who needs one,” Brown said. “No one should have to ask if getting a COVID-19 test is something they can afford. I hope this agreement sets a framework that other states can follow nationwide.”

Outside of these instances, regular terms of insurance, such as co-payments, co-insurance and deductibles, will still apply.

BridgeSpan Health, Health Net Health Plan of Oregon, Kaiser Permanente, Moda Health Plan, PacificSource Health Plans, Providence Health Plans, Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield and Samaritan Health Plans have committed to the agreement so far, the release stated.

The state is pursuing the same agreement with self-insured health plans.

“We are glad to see the companies that have already stepped up to support their customers. We will continue to build on this agreement to waive cost-sharing related to COVID-19 testing for all Oregon residents,” said Andrew Stolfi, insurance commissioner. “We all have a mission to support public health and protect Oregonians from this virus by removing barriers to testing.”

PENDLETON — To limit coronavirus risk for volunteers and guests, the Pendleton Warming Station has closed for the season.

Executive Director Dwight Johnson, who recommended early closure of the facility, said the move comes after plenty of thought.

“We don’t want people to think we’re panicking, but it seems like the prudent thing to do,” Johnson said. “We’re stuck between overreacting and underreacting.”

Johnson said the board is operating in a vacuum of knowledge in making such a call and is relying on the Centers for Disease Control website for guidance. The CDC says the virus is airborne and transmitted between people in close quarters and that older people and those with underlying conditions are most at risk.

“Our volunteers are older and a lot of our guests have underlying medical conditions,” Johnson said. “We have a high-risk populations for complications.”

The Neighbor 2 Neighbor board, which oversees the warming station, day center and a Sunday morning meal called Veda’s Breakfast, also decided to close the day center for the month of March until more is learned about how to prevent spread of the virus.

The group is considering installing a new ventilation system at the warming station to help limit spread of infectious disease.

Fortunately, the warming station closure comes as the weather warms. The facility normally opens for the night when the temperature hits freezing.

“We are close to the end of the season,” Johnson said. “The weather is relatively benign.”

— Kathy Aney, East Oregonian

PENDLETON — The Salvation Army’s Pendleton Corps is still in need of donated items for victims of February’s flooding in Umatilla County.

Needed items are shoes and boots, socks, clothing, linens, housewares, small and large kitchen appliances, gently used mattresses/box springs and bicycles.

Donations can be dropped off at The Salvation Army Thrift Store, 1805 S.W. Court Ave. in Pendleton, during regular store hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. All donations will be used locally.

The nonprofit said in a statement that they are grateful for “our very generous greater-Pendleton area community” supporting the flood relief efforts. As part of the relief efforts, The Salvation Army said it has issued 85 vouchers for clothing and other items at the thrift store, prepared 672 lunches to deliver to flood victims, served 740 hot meals, distributed 52 clean-up kits, provided 33 gasoline vouchers and partnered with the American Red Cross to provide meals and other family services at the Pendleton Convention Center while it was serving as an emergency shelter.

— East Oregonian