UMATILLA COUNTY — Umatilla County’s COVID-19 case total reached 83 on Friday, and contact tracing and data continues to reveal instances of residents spreading the virus at social gatherings.

The county released its latest “epi curve” Thursday, which can be found on the health department’s website and shows the particular date that an individual began showing symptoms of COVID-19.

“Most of what we’ve seen, especially at the end of April and into May, is some outbreaks associated with gatherings,” said Umatilla County Public Health Director Joe Fiumara. “It’s largely been family gatherings, not large gatherings by any means, but groups of five or six here, and three of four there.”

Thursday’s release showed in a 14-day span from April 19 to May 2, 42 residents began to show symptoms, with as many as six people showing symptoms on a given day. In that 14-day span, the data show May 1 was the only day without a new case beginning to show symptoms.

While these increases can also be attributed to an increase in access to testing, Fiumara said gatherings are proving to be sources of spread because those who are less concerned about becoming infected are spreading it to their more vulnerable family members and friends.

“We are seeing a little bit of that happening, and it is unfortunate and sad to see,” he said.

The Walla Walla Community Health Department garnered national news attention this week after reporting to the Union-Bulletin on Monday that there were “COVID parties” being hosted, where attendees were purposefully spreading the virus to one another.

Fiumara and Umatilla County health officials were told that some local residents were being linked to these parties, but Walla Walla County officials walked the story back Wednesday night, stating that these gatherings weren’t intentionally spreading the virus as first reported.

While the intent may not have been there, Fiumara said the reports he’s heard from officials now is the parties were reckless but not malicious.

“The report is that many, many of the attendees — but not all — knew that there were people in attendance who had tested positive for COVID,” Fiumara said. “I definitely think what’s still in place is there was not necessarily a fear of catching it, and that can have some downstream effects.”

On Friday, Umatilla County announced six new confirmed cases of COVID-19, two of which have been identified as contacts of previously confirmed cases. All six are currently self-isolating and recovering at home.

The county also reported Friday that 51 cases are now considered recovered, while 31 are still considered active. Two residents remain hospitalized with COVID-19, and one death has been reported.

There were no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, but the county did revise its previously reported case total to remove two erroneously identified cases.

“That was a correction because of cases that either recently moved out of the county, or were incorrectly reported to us as being residents of Umatilla County,” Umatilla County Public Health Director Joe Fiumara wrote in an email.

According to the Umatilla County Public Health Department’s website, 960 tests have been run in the county, 877 of which have come back negative.